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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bark — to shout
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. mark — a trace
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. firm — decided
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. firm — steady
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. mark — a grade
  23. firm — a company
  24. bulb — for light

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