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 cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. race — the arms race
  3. prune — to trim
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. club — a group
  7. club — for dancing
  8. race — a contest
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. prune — to trim
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. club — for golf
  14. tear — from crying
  15. race — humankind
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. branch — a division
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. tear — to rip
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. snap — to click
  24. pass — a permit

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