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 120 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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. chest — of your body
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. wound — an injury
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. chest — of your body
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. snap — to click
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. wound — an injury
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. perch — the fish
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bark — to shout

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