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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. fall — to drop
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. fall — the season
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. fall — to drop
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. last — final
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. game — a match
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. roll — a cake
  18. game — wild animals
  19. bark — to shout
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. last — to go on
  22. roll — a list
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. last — finally

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