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: calf · tube · file · bark · straw · dip · rest · stock

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. file — a document
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. stock — goods
  6. file — a line of people
  7. rest — what's left
  8. stock — shares
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. rest — a break
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — the underground
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. tube — a container
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. rest — what's left
  22. file — a tool
  23. bark — to shout
  24. calf — a young animal

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