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: racket · land · key · mouse · root · prune · bore · bark

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. prune — to trim
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bark — to shout
  12. root — of a plant
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a word
  15. land — to come down
  16. land — a country
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. key — in music
  19. land — ground
  20. key — for a lock
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bore — to tire

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