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: face · mouse · jam · saw · current · bark · lie · cabinet

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. current — electric
  4. face — part of the head
  5. bark — to shout
  6. current — happening now
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. face — to confront
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. lie — to recline
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. face — to point toward
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. current — of water
  24. jam — a tight spot

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