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

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. cell — in biology
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. staff — employees
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. content — the amount
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. content — happy
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. lie — to recline
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bark — to shout
  17. staff — a stick
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. saw — the tool
  21. staff — employees
  22. cell — a phone
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. lie — an untruth

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