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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. firm — steady
  5. bark — to shout
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. firm — a company
  9. row — a line
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. rash — a series
  13. wake — a trail
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. field — for sport
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. field — farmland
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. rash — hasty
  22. field — a subject
  23. row — to paddle
  24. firm — decided

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