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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. spring — of water
  3. mug — to rob
  4. tear — to rip
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. mug — a face
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. wax — to grow
  11. cap — a lid
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. spring — a coil
  14. cap — a hat
  15. mug — a cup
  16. cap — of ice
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. rush — hurry
  19. spring — the season
  20. stand — to bear
  21. hand — help
  22. tear — from crying
  23. hand — in cards
  24. rush — to hurry

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