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: pop · rush · rock · leaves · bark · safe · tear · roll

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. rock — music
  3. tear — from crying
  4. pop — music
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. rush — hurry
  7. roll — a list
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. tear — from crying
  14. tear — to rip
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. pop — soda
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. roll — a cake
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. pop — to visit
  24. rush — a thrill

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