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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. suit — clothes
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. face — to point toward
  5. pit — in a race
  6. snap — to click
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. suit — in cards
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. face — part of the head
  11. tear — from crying
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. root — of a plant
  15. spell — letters
  16. root — the cause
  17. face — to confront
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. spell — magic
  20. root — of a word
  21. spell — a short time
  22. suit — to fit
  23. tear — from crying
  24. pit — a hole

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