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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. wound — an injury
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. kick — in football
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pop — music
  9. can — to be able to
  10. bark — to shout
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. march — music
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. march — the month
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — a tin
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. march — the month
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bass — low music
  23. wound — an injury
  24. pop — soda

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