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

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. band — a music group
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. deal — to handle
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. branch — a division
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — to rip
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. band — a ring
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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