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: spring · firm · rule · rash · snap · bark · drill · vault

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. spring — the season
  3. firm — a company
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. bark — to shout
  7. rash — hasty
  8. vault — a safe
  9. rule — government
  10. spring — a coil
  11. firm — steady
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. drill — army training
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. drill — a practice
  16. rash — a series
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. rule — a law
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. drill — the tool
  22. firm — decided
  23. snap — to click
  24. spring — of water

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