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: bark · rule · pitch · cue · stem · tube · nail · bass

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. rule — a law
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. rule — government
  6. pitch — completely
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bass — the fish
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bass — low music
  13. bark — to shout
  14. cue — a signal
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — a container
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. cue — for pool
  23. stem — to come from
  24. cue — a hint

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