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 · date · band · wake · perch · rush · ruler · fall

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. fall — the season
  4. band — a music group
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. perch — the fish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. wake — a trail
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bark — to shout
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. fall — to drop
  20. band — a ring
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. fall — to drop

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