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: cell · cabinet · bark · row · craft · deal · nail · track

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. deal — to handle
  3. track — a song
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. track — a path
  9. track — to keep track
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cell — a phone
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. craft — boats
  15. row — a line
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. row — to paddle
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bark — to shout
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. craft — a skill
  22. cell — in biology
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. deal — a big deal

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