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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bark — to shout
  3. pit — a hole
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. roll — a cake
  7. track — a song
  8. roll — a list
  9. kick — in football
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. mug — to rob
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. track — a path
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — a face
  23. pit — in a race
  24. track — to keep track

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