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: bass · sharp · fine · chip · root · bark · hide · calf

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. root — of a plant
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. root — of a word
  7. chip — to eat
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fine — all right
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. root — the cause
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bass — the fish
  15. sharp — clever
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bass — low music
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — high quality
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. hide — animal skin

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