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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. shower — rain
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bear — the animal
  7. shower — to wash
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. chest — of your body
  10. chest — a box
  11. chest — of your body
  12. tear — from crying
  13. bear — the animal
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — thin
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. toast — bread
  21. tear — from crying
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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