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: arm · bark · stand · trunk · pop · court · mark · bore

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. court — of law
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pop — to visit
  12. court — for sport
  13. mark — a trace
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. pop — music
  17. court — of a king
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bore — to drill
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bore — to tire
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. pop — soda

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