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: snap · calf · wound · bark · racket · staff · pit · march

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bark — to shout
  8. pit — a hole
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. march — the month
  12. snap — to click
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. staff — employees
  15. pit — in a race
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. staff — a stick
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. march — the month
  24. staff — employees

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