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: rock · bark · fan · suit · spring · bear · racket · ball

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bark — to shout
  4. ball — a great time
  5. spring — the season
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. spring — a coil
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — a stone
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — clothes
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bear — the animal
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. ball — a dance
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. rock — music
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. spring — of water
  24. racket — for tennis

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