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 124 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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — a trail
  6. deal — to handle
  7. firm — steady
  8. chair — a leader
  9. firm — a company
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. tear — from crying
  15. prune — to trim
  16. board — to get on
  17. firm — decided
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. tear — to rip
  21. prune — to trim
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — a committee
  24. chair — to sit on

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