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: pit · deal · pop · track · mate · bass · wax · bark

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. pit — a hole
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pop — soda
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. mate — to breed
  8. bass — the fish
  9. wax — to grow
  10. bark — to shout
  11. track — to keep track
  12. pop — to visit
  13. mate — a partner
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. track — a song
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. pop — music
  20. bass — low music
  21. track — a path
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. deal — to handle
  24. mate — a friend

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