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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. prune — to trim
  4. mug — a face
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. mug — to rob
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. mug — a cup
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lie — to recline
  19. deal — to handle
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bark — to shout
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. deal — a big deal

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