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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — hurry
  4. pit — a hole
  5. ground — crushed
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — for catching
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. hand — in cards
  10. pit — in a race
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. tear — from crying
  14. ground — the earth
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ground — a position
  18. net — in sport
  19. tear — from crying
  20. hand — help
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. hand — part of the body

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