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: pitch · bark · mug · rule · bear · snap · bass · nail

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mug — a face
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pitch — completely
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bark — to shout
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. bear — the animal
  16. snap — to click
  17. rule — government
  18. bass — low music
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rule — a law
  24. nail — on a finger

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