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 116 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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. rest — a break
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bark — to shout
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. face — part of the head
  17. face — to point toward
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. rest — what's left
  20. mark — a grade
  21. rest — what's left
  22. dip — to sink
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. calf — of the leg

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