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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. mark — a grade
  3. squash — to crush
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bark — to shout
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. cap — of ice
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. lean — thin
  13. face — part of the head
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — size or range
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lean — to bend
  18. face — to confront
  19. cap — a hat
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. face — to point toward
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. squash — the sport

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