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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. staff — employees
  5. last — to go on
  6. cue — for pool
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. toast — bread
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a hat
  15. last — finally
  16. cue — a signal
  17. last — final
  18. staff — a stick
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. cap — a lid
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. staff — employees
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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