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 · hide · fan · clip · jam · deal · track

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. rule — a law
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. bark — to shout
  8. deal — to handle
  9. track — a path
  10. rule — government
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. track — a song
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. clip — a video
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. clip — for paper
  19. clip — to cut
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. bark — of a tree

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