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: can · bark · bound · sharp · hand · saw · stock · ruler

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. bound — certain
  5. bound — obliged
  6. stock — shares
  7. bound — tied together
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bark — to shout
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. stock — goods
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. can — to be able to
  20. hand — in cards
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. sharp — clever
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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