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: bark · patient · fork · tube · chip · leaves · foot · lean

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. foot — a measure
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. fork — in a road
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. tube — the underground
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. chip — to eat
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bark — to shout

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