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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. tear — from crying
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. tear — to rip
  7. land — to come down
  8. land — a country
  9. wind — moving air
  10. shower — to wash
  11. stock — goods
  12. wind — moving air
  13. shower — rain
  14. mug — a cup
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a face
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. land — ground
  20. stock — shares
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. tear — from crying
  24. leaves — of a tree

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