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: lean · file · row · bark · cabinet · lie · fan · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bark — to shout
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. row — a line
  9. lean — thin
  10. row — to paddle
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. file — a document
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. file — a tool
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. lean — to bend
  21. file — a line of people
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fan — a supporter

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