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 · object · craft · cabinet · bowl · roll · rush · wave

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. object — to protest
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. roll — a list
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. object — a thing
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bark — to shout
  9. roll — a cake
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — boats
  18. object — an aim
  19. rush — hurry
  20. craft — a skill
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  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