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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bear — the animal
  4. charge — in control
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. bear — the animal
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fine — all right
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — a price
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fine — high quality
  18. ball — a dance
  19. lie — to recline
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bark — to shout
  23. rash — a series
  24. ball — a round shape

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