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 was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. tear — from crying
  3. mate — a friend
  4. ball — a dance
  5. tear — from crying
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. swing — music
  8. swing — in golf
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. ball — a great time
  13. swing — to play on
  14. mate — to breed
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. mate — a partner
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. stand — to bear
  20. pit — in a race
  21. tear — to rip
  22. rest — what's left
  23. pit — a hole
  24. wind — moving air

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