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: bulb · bark · prune · rash · hide · field · cabinet · stand

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. rash — a series
  4. field — for sport
  5. field — farmland
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. field — a subject
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. rash — hasty
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stand — to bear

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