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: fine · bark · wave · fan · bay · mug · track · lie

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. track — a path
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mug — to rob
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. mug — a face
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. fine — all right
  15. track — a song
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. track — to keep track
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bark — to shout
  24. fan — to cool the air

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