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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  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. coach — a trainer
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bark — to shout
  7. wake — a trail
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. chest — a box
  11. lie — to recline
  12. chest — of your body
  13. ball — a dance
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. chest — of your body
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bear — the animal
  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