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 · court · mug · rush · file · bark · game · suit

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. file — a document
  3. game — wild animals
  4. mug — to rob
  5. file — a tool
  6. court — of a king
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. mug — a cup
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. game — a match
  13. suit — to fit
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. court — of law
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bark — to shout
  18. court — for sport
  19. file — a line of people
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. suit — in cards
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mug — a face
  24. rush — hurry

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