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 124 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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. lie — to recline
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — in a race
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. last — to go on
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. capital — money
  11. vault — a safe
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. pound — a weight
  15. last — final
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pit — a hole
  19. chest — of your body
  20. capital — a city
  21. last — finally
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. chest — of your body

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