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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. clip — to cut
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. wound — an injury
  5. board — to get on
  6. bark — to shout
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. wound — an injury
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. clip — a video
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. clip — for paper
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. board — a committee
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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