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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. cap — a lid
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. tear — from crying
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. cap — a hat
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. wound — an injury
  14. stem — to come from
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. cap — of ice
  18. wound — an injury
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bulb — for light
  23. tear — from crying
  24. nail — for a hammer

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