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: bark · bank · toast · net · object · chair · cabinet · season

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. chair — a leader
  6. net — after costs
  7. season — of the year
  8. object — a thing
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bank — of a river
  11. object — to protest
  12. bank — for money
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. net — in sport
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. bark — to shout
  18. toast — bread
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. season — in sport
  21. bank — for money
  22. net — for catching
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. object — an aim

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