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: scale · bark · pop · temple · mug · can · chest · chair

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. chair — a leader
  3. scale — size or range
  4. mug — to rob
  5. pop — to visit
  6. can — to be able to
  7. chest — a box
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. mug — a cup
  10. pop — music
  11. can — a tin
  12. pop — soda
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. scale — in music
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. mug — a face
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. can — a tin
  20. chest — of your body
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bark — to shout
  24. chair — a professorship

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