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: rest · chip · fan · suit · staff · tube · bark · bat

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. suit — to fit
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rest — a break
  12. suit — clothes
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bark — to shout
  15. staff — employees
  16. rest — what's left
  17. chip — for betting
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — a container
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. suit — in cards
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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