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 116 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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. tear — from crying
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. firm — a company
  8. tear — from crying
  9. craft — a skill
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. cue — for pool
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. tear — to rip
  15. suit — clothes
  16. craft — boats
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. cue — a hint
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. firm — decided
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bark — to shout

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