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 120 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 · bark · trunk · row · snap · drill · rush · object

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. object — to protest
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. row — a line
  7. snap — to click
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. board — a committee
  10. object — a thing
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. bark — to shout
  13. row — to paddle
  14. board — to get on
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. drill — the tool
  18. object — an aim
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. drill — army training
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — hurry
  24. drill — a practice

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