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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rash — a series
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. wind — moving air
  7. firm — steady
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. firm — decided
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rash — hasty
  16. firm — a company
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bark — to shout
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. lie — to recline
  23. rush — hurry
  24. lie — an untruth

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