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: drill · pound · stick · nail · ground · cabinet · court · bark

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. ground — a position
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. ground — crushed
  7. drill — army training
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. ground — the earth
  10. court — of a king
  11. court — for sport
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. court — of law
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bark — to shout
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. pound — a weight
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. drill — the tool

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