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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. face — part of the head
  6. bark — to shout
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. march — the month
  12. march — music
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. face — to confront
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. kick — in football
  18. march — the month
  19. face — to point toward
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. date — the fruit
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. lash — to lash out

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