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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. wind — moving air
  4. suit — to fit
  5. tear — from crying
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. wind — moving air
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. sharp — clever
  12. fall — the season
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. fall — to drop
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. suit — in cards
  19. tear — to rip
  20. fall — to drop
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. deal — to handle
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. suit — clothes

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