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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. pop — soda
  4. kick — in football
  5. mate — a partner
  6. track — to keep track
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. bark — to shout
  10. pop — music
  11. track — a path
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. wind — moving air
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mate — a friend
  19. wind — moving air
  20. mate — to breed
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. track — a song
  23. pop — to visit
  24. suit — to fit

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