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: bark · hide · nail · mark · row · present · lie · fall

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. lie — to recline
  3. fall — to drop
  4. mark — a trace
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. row — a line
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. fall — the season
  12. bark — to shout
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mark — a grade
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. present — a gift
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. row — to paddle
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — there

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