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 120 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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. bark — to shout
  6. stand — to bear
  7. kid — child
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. prune — to trim
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. prune — to trim
  24. safe — a strongbox

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