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 120 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: drill · fork · chip · last · bark · cap · rock · bass

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. rock — a stone
  3. cap — a hat
  4. last — final
  5. last — finally
  6. chip — for betting
  7. drill — a practice
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. drill — army training
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bass — low music
  13. rock — music
  14. bass — the fish
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. cap — a lid
  20. drill — the tool
  21. chip — to eat
  22. last — to go on
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bark — to shout

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