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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. board — a committee
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. deal — to handle
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. tear — from crying
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rule — a law
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. root — of a plant
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. root — the cause
  15. saw — the tool
  16. perch — the fish
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. rule — government
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. board — to get on
  21. tear — to rip
  22. root — of a word
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. deal — an agreement

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