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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. lean — to bend
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. club — a group
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. tear — to rip
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. rule — a law
  10. perch — the fish
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. tear — from crying
  13. rule — government
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. kick — in football
  17. club — for golf
  18. club — for dancing
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. lean — thin

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