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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. chip — to eat
  3. tear — to rip
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. swing — in golf
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. tube — a container
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. swing — music
  13. chip — for betting
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bear — the animal
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tube — the underground
  20. swing — to play on
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wake — a trail
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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