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: cabinet · land · mate · scale · bark · craft · lie · wake

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. mate — a partner
  5. scale — size or range
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. scale — in music
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bark — to shout
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. mate — to breed
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. land — a country
  16. wake — a trail
  17. craft — boats
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. land — ground
  21. mate — a friend
  22. lie — to recline
  23. craft — a skill
  24. land — to come down

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