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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. rest — what's left
  4. stand — to bear
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. rest — a break
  7. key — for a lock
  8. tear — to rip
  9. cold — not warm
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. key — in music
  13. tear — from crying
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. tear — from crying
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. cold — an illness
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. rest — what's left
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. key — the most important part

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