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: vault · hide · bark · stock · root · mark · content · cabinet

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. content — the amount
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. root — of a plant
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. vault — a safe
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. root — of a word
  15. stock — goods
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. root — the cause
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a grade
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. mark — a trace
  23. content — happy
  24. stock — shares

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