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 · fall · last · bear · lie · mug · dip · bore

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. mug — a cup
  3. bear — the animal
  4. last — to go on
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. mug — a face
  7. bark — to shout
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. last — finally
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. bear — the animal
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. last — final
  20. fall — the season
  21. fall — to drop
  22. dip — to sink
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. fall — to drop

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