ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ground · mark · ruler · saw · bark · safe · rush · ball

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ground — the earth
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. mark — a grade
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bark — to shout
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. ground — a position
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. saw — the tool
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. saw — the tool
  24. ground — crushed

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com