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: jam · hand · cabinet · pitcher · tube · rock · leaves · bark

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bark — to shout
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. hand — help
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. tube — the underground
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. tube — a container
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — a stone
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. hand — in cards
  24. leaves — of a tree

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