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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bark — to shout
  4. present — a gift
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. swing — to play on
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. lie — to recline
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. kid — to tease
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. present — there
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. suit — clothes
  21. present — the time now
  22. kid — child
  23. suit — to fit
  24. swing — in golf

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