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 116 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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. present — there
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bass — low music
  5. cap — of ice
  6. suit — to fit
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. cap — a hat
  12. suit — in cards
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. chair — a leader
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — the time now
  19. suit — clothes
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. lie — to recline
  24. bass — the instrument

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