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 120 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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bark — to shout
  6. dip — to sink
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. tube — the underground
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. lie — to recline
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pit — in a race
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pit — a hole
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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