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: staff · dip · present · stick · bark · wake · firm · club

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. firm — steady
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wake — a trail
  6. bark — to shout
  7. present — the time now
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. dip — to sink
  13. present — a gift
  14. club — for golf
  15. present — there
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. firm — a company
  18. staff — a stick
  19. firm — decided
  20. club — a group
  21. staff — employees
  22. club — for dancing
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. staff — employees

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