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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  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. dip — to sink
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. suit — clothes
  4. firm — steady
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. rush — hurry
  7. tear — from crying
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. suit — in cards
  11. kick — in football
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. tear — from crying
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. bat — the animal
  19. firm — a company
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. tear — to rip
  22. firm — decided
  23. suit — to fit
  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