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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. tear — from crying
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. craft — boats
  7. stem — to come from
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — to get on
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. last — finally
  14. club — a group
  15. craft — a skill
  16. club — for golf
  17. board — a committee
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. last — to go on
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. club — for dancing
  23. tear — from crying
  24. last — final

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