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: court · fall · dip · calf · bark · track · bank · cabinet

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bank — of a river
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. fall — the season
  5. court — for sport
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. track — a song
  9. track — a path
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bank — for money
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. court — of a king
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. court — of law
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. dip — to sink
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bark — to shout
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bank — for money
  23. fall — to drop
  24. track — to keep track

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