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: shower · bear · rock · bay · hide · cap · bark · face

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. shower — rain
  6. face — to confront
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bark — to shout
  9. cap — of ice
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. rock — music
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. face — part of the head
  14. cap — a lid
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. shower — to wash
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. cap — a hat
  24. face — to point toward

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