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

Word bank: bark · wave · race · pop · bay · present · lie · mate

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. race — the arms race
  7. pop — music
  8. lie — to recline
  9. present — there
  10. pop — soda
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. race — a contest
  13. pop — to visit
  14. present — a gift
  15. mate — to breed
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bark — to shout
  19. present — the time now
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — a friend
  24. race — humankind

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