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: mouse · vault · pitcher · firm · cabinet · race · bark · bowl

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. firm — a company
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. race — the arms race
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. race — humankind
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bark — to shout
  14. firm — decided
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. firm — steady
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. race — a contest
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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