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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — from crying
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. scale — size or range
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. pit — in a race
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. scale — in music
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — to protest
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. object — an aim
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. tear — to rip
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bat — the animal
  22. pit — a hole
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bat — in an idiom

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