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: staff · clip · safe · foot · board · bark · pop · plane

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  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. foot — a measure
  2. board — to get on
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. clip — a video
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pop — music
  10. staff — employees
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. clip — for paper
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. board — a committee
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pop — soda
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bark — to shout
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. clip — to cut
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — a stick
  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