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: stick · bore · lie · temple · vault · bark · field · perch

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. field — farmland
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. lie — to recline
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. field — for sport
  13. bore — to tire
  14. field — a subject
  15. bore — to drill
  16. vault — a safe
  17. perch — the fish
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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