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 · toast · press · ball · rash · calf · last · lean

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. lean — to bend
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. ball — a great time
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. rash — a series
  11. last — finally
  12. last — to go on
  13. ball — a dance
  14. rash — hasty
  15. lean — thin
  16. press — to push
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. press — a publisher
  20. bark — to shout
  21. toast — bread
  22. last — final
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. calf — a young animal

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