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: row · can · drill · bark · cabinet · ruler · stock · staff

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. drill — army training
  7. stock — shares
  8. staff — a stick
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. staff — employees
  13. drill — a practice
  14. drill — the tool
  15. row — to paddle
  16. staff — employees
  17. stock — goods
  18. can — to be able to
  19. row — a line
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ruler — for measuring

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