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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. cap — of ice
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. net — for catching
  5. tear — to rip
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. ground — a position
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. tear — from crying
  10. ground — the earth
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. net — after costs
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. tear — from crying
  17. ground — crushed
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. net — in sport
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — a hat

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