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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. track — a song
  3. tear — from crying
  4. face — part of the head
  5. club — for dancing
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. track — a path
  8. mate — a friend
  9. track — to keep track
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. club — for golf
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. tear — to rip
  16. mate — a partner
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — to confront
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. club — a group
  22. perch — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. mate — to breed

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