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: cabinet · cap · firm · file · bark · root · drill · kick

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  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. cap — a hat
  2. bark — to shout
  3. drill — a practice
  4. firm — a company
  5. file — a document
  6. firm — steady
  7. root — of a word
  8. kick — in football
  9. drill — the tool
  10. root — the cause
  11. file — a tool
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cap — of ice
  16. file — a line of people
  17. cap — a lid
  18. root — of a plant
  19. drill — army training
  20. firm — decided
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — with a leg
  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