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: rock · track · cabinet · key · bark · bass · face · prune

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to confront
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bass — low music
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. rock — music
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. track — a song
  10. key — in music
  11. prune — to trim
  12. track — a path
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bark — to shout
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. track — to keep track
  19. face — to point toward
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — the fish
  22. rock — a stone
  23. prune — to trim
  24. rock — to move gently

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