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: face · bark · ball · cabinet · ground · bore · staff · land

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bore — to tire
  4. land — ground
  5. bore — to drill
  6. staff — employees
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. face — to point toward
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. staff — a stick
  13. land — a country
  14. ground — crushed
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. staff — employees
  18. land — to come down
  19. bark — to shout
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. ground — the earth
  22. face — to confront
  23. ground — a position
  24. ball — a dance

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