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: toast · fall · current · key · deal · rash · bark · ball

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. fall — to drop
  3. toast — bread
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. rash — hasty
  7. ball — a great time
  8. deal — to handle
  9. current — electric
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — to shout
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. ball — a dance
  15. key — for a lock
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. fall — to drop
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. rash — a series
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — of water
  22. key — the most important part
  23. fall — the season
  24. key — in music

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