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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — a tool
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. mark — a grade
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. race — a contest
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bat — the animal
  19. race — the arms race
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pitch — completely
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. race — humankind
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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