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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. can — to be able to
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. race — a contest
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cue — a hint
  11. race — the arms race
  12. can — a tin
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. race — humankind
  15. tear — from crying
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. tear — from crying
  20. bark — to shout
  21. can — a tin
  22. fine — high quality
  23. prune — to trim
  24. fine — all right

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