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 116 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: mug · bark · mate · bulb · trunk · sharp · suit · tear

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. sharp — clever
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — to fit
  7. mate — a friend
  8. suit — in cards
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bark — to shout
  11. tear — to rip
  12. mate — to breed
  13. tear — from crying
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. tear — from crying
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mate — a partner
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bulb — for light
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — 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