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: leaves · tube · field · rush · calf · bark · object · current

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. current — of water
  3. current — happening now
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. tube — a container
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. field — farmland
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bark — to shout
  15. rush — hurry
  16. tube — the underground
  17. object — an aim
  18. field — a subject
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — to protest
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. field — for sport
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. current — electric

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