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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. present — there
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. last — final
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bear — the animal
  8. fine — all right
  9. bear — the animal
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fork — in a road
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — high quality
  18. present — the time now
  19. bark — to shout
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. present — a gift
  22. last — finally
  23. last — to go on
  24. plane — an aircraft

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