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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — goods
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bass — the fish
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. tear — from crying
  12. bass — low music
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. tear — to rip
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. tear — from crying
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. wave — with your hand

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