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 116 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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pit — in a race
  5. tear — to rip
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. tear — from crying
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. wake — a trail
  12. tear — from crying
  13. pit — a hole
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. stem — to come from

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