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: temple · bark · pitcher · hide · roll · chip · prune · mark

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. roll — a cake
  8. chip — to eat
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mark — a trace
  11. prune — to trim
  12. chip — for betting
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. mark — a grade
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. roll — a list
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. bark — to shout

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