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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. rash — a series
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — clothes
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bear — the animal
  8. suit — in cards
  9. face — to confront
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. face — to point toward
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. rash — hasty
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. scale — in music
  19. face — part of the head
  20. scale — size or range
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. wake — a trail

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