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: bass · bowl · leaves · ruler · band · sharp · pound · bark

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. band — a ring
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. pound — a weight
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. band — a music group
  17. bass — low music
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bass — the fish
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. sharp — clever

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