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: board · bulb · bark · leaves · arm · stick · mate · pit

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a friend
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. board — a committee
  13. pit — in a race
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bark — to shout
  20. board — to get on
  21. mate — a partner
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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