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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bark · stick · wave · straw · plane · chest · foot · bear

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. bear — the animal
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chest — of your body
  17. foot — a measure
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bark — to shout
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. plane — a tool
  24. straw — dry grass

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