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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. bark — to shout
  3. swing — in golf
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wind — moving air
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — a stick
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. rule — a law
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. object — an aim
  13. swing — music
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. mug — a cup
  16. object — a thing
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. staff — employees
  20. object — to protest
  21. rule — government
  22. mug — a face
  23. wind — moving air
  24. swing — to play on

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