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: rock · game · fine · suit · arm · jam · mate · bark

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. mate — a friend
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bark — to shout
  5. rock — music
  6. mate — to breed
  7. game — a match
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. suit — in cards
  11. rock — a stone
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. mate — a partner
  15. suit — clothes
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. fine — high quality
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. fine — all right
  20. suit — to fit
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. game — wild animals
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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