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: bass · saw · bark · chair · cue · lash · lie · bound

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bark — to shout
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bound — tied together
  11. saw — the tool
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bass — the fish
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bass — low music
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bound — certain
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. cue — for pool

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