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: bark · rule · kick · drill · prune · stick · net · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. net — in sport
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — the tool
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bark — to shout
  9. rule — government
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. net — after costs
  13. kick — in football
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. net — for catching
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. suit — clothes
  20. drill — a practice
  21. suit — to fit
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. prune — to trim
  24. rule — a law

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