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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. file — a tool
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. tear — from crying
  10. fine — high quality
  11. file — a document
  12. bear — the animal
  13. file — a line of people
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. tear — from crying
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pound — a weight
  19. kid — to tease
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. tear — to rip
  23. kid — child
  24. fine — all right

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