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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — in golf
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. cell — in biology
  6. present — the time now
  7. mark — a grade
  8. swing — music
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. present — a gift
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — a stone
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bear — the animal
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. cell — a phone
  22. present — there
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. rock — music

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