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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rash — a series
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. mark — a grade
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — bread
  16. dip — to sink
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bark — to shout
  20. rest — what's left
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. hide — animal skin

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