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 120 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. tear — from crying
  3. chip — to eat
  4. tear — from crying
  5. spring — a coil
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. ground — a position
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. spring — the season
  11. can — to be able to
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. branch — a division
  16. can — a tin
  17. spring — of water
  18. ground — the earth
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. tear — to rip
  21. ground — crushed
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — for betting
  24. branch — 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