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 · key · ruler · pit · club · staff · pop · net

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  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. pop — soda
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bark — to shout
  4. staff — a stick
  5. club — for golf
  6. key — the most important part
  7. club — for dancing
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pit — a hole
  10. net — for catching
  11. pit — in a race
  12. staff — employees
  13. pop — music
  14. staff — employees
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — in music
  17. net — in sport
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. net — after costs
  22. pop — to visit
  23. club — a group
  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