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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — to rip
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. march — the month
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. tear — from crying
  7. band — a music group
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. charge — a price
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. race — a contest
  12. march — the month
  13. craft — a skill
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. race — humankind
  16. march — music
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. charge — in control
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. race — the arms race
  22. craft — boats
  23. band — a ring
  24. charge — electricity

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