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 120 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: bank · bark · can · rule · lean · wave · ball · kick

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. rule — a law
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. can — a tin
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bank — for money
  8. bark — to shout
  9. kick — in football
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bank — for money
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. can — a tin
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a dance
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. lean — thin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. bank — of a river
  24. ball — a great time

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