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 120 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: rock · bark · wake · bowl · lie · squash · tube · ruler

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bark — to shout
  3. tube — the underground
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. squash — to crush
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. wake — a trail
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. tube — a container
  22. rock — music
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. ruler — for measuring

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