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: ruler · bore · ground · content · club · perch · bark · prune

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. club — a group
  4. bore — to drill
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bore — to tire
  9. ground — crushed
  10. content — the amount
  11. club — for dancing
  12. bark — to shout
  13. perch — the fish
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. prune — to trim
  16. ground — the earth
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. ground — a position
  20. club — for golf
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. bark — of a tree

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