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: bay · content · bark · rash · bound · fan · swing · dip

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. rash — a series
  3. content — the amount
  4. bound — obliged
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. bound — certain
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. swing — in golf
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. swing — to play on
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. swing — music
  17. content — happy
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. dip — to sink
  23. rash — hasty
  24. content — videos and posts

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