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 116 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: swing · vault · bark · bulb · pop · craft · coach · tear

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. pop — to visit
  3. bark — to shout
  4. swing — to play on
  5. tear — from crying
  6. swing — in golf
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. craft — boats
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. pop — music
  13. pop — soda
  14. tear — from crying
  15. swing — music
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. tear — to rip
  22. craft — a skill
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. vault — a safe

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