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 120 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: lie · cue · shower · board · trunk · lean · bark · wind

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. cue — a hint
  6. lean — to bend
  7. shower — to wash
  8. bark — to shout
  9. shower — rain
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. cue — for pool
  15. board — a committee
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. lie — to recline
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. wind — moving air
  20. board — to get on
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. wind — moving air
  23. lean — thin
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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