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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bark — to shout
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bear — the animal
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. lie — to recline
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a path
  16. row — a line
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. row — to paddle
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. kid — child
  22. track — a song
  23. rock — music
  24. kid — to tease

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