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: present · rash · can · mouse · bark · mate · wake · dip

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bark — to shout
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. present — there
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. present — a gift
  15. rash — hasty
  16. mate — a friend
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. present — the time now
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. can — a tin
  23. rash — a series
  24. dip — to sink

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