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: rush · track · staff · last · lean · kick · bark · cabinet

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. lean — to bend
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. staff — a stick
  7. track — to keep track
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. staff — employees
  11. lean — thin
  12. track — a path
  13. last — finally
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. bark — to shout
  16. rush — hurry
  17. kick — in football
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. staff — employees
  21. last — to go on
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. last — final
  24. cabinet — ministers

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