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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. tear — from crying
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. ground — a position
  6. ball — a dance
  7. roll — a list
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. tear — from crying
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. roll — a cake
  14. ground — the earth
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. ball — a great time
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. ground — crushed

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