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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bound — tied together
  4. drill — a practice
  5. degree — temperature
  6. bark — to shout
  7. degree — from a university
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bound — obliged
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a lid
  12. lie — to recline
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. degree — an amount
  16. drill — the tool
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bound — certain
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — goods
  24. drill — army training

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