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: roll · mark · object · charge · bark · trunk · wax · leaves

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. object — an aim
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. roll — a cake
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — a trace
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. charge — electricity
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bark — to shout
  14. charge — in control
  15. object — a thing
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. object — to protest
  18. charge — a price
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. wax — to grow
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. roll — a list
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. wax — in the ear

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