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: fork · toast · bark · spell · file · ground · bound · chair

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bound — certain
  3. fork — in a road
  4. file — a document
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. toast — bread
  7. file — a line of people
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. file — a tool
  11. ground — the earth
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. spell — letters
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. chair — a leader
  18. bound — tied together
  19. spell — magic
  20. bound — obliged
  21. ground — a position
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. ground — crushed
  24. spell — a short time

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