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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. squash — to crush
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — in music
  6. bark — to shout
  7. scale — size or range
  8. swing — to play on
  9. pop — music
  10. suit — to fit
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. capital — a city
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. squash — the sport
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pop — soda
  19. suit — clothes
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. swing — music
  22. swing — in golf
  23. capital — money
  24. pop — to visit

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