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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. race — humankind
  5. wake — a trail
  6. kid — child
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. race — a contest
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. kid — to tease
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bark — to shout
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — all right
  22. race — the arms race
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. ball — a dance

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