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 120 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: wake · bark · object · last · fine · key · bore · can

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. object — an aim
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. last — final
  9. can — to be able to
  10. key — in music
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bore — to tire
  14. fine — all right
  15. last — finally
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. object — to protest
  18. key — the most important part
  19. key — for a lock
  20. object — a thing
  21. bark — to shout
  22. wake — a trail
  23. bore — to drill
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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