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: bark · rock · lie · bear · press · chair · board · mate

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rock — music
  5. mate — a friend
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. chair — a leader
  9. press — to push
  10. bark — to shout
  11. press — a publisher
  12. mate — to breed
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. lie — to recline
  16. board — to get on
  17. mate — a partner
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. press — newspapers
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. board — a committee
  24. bear — the animal

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