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 120 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 is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. craft — a skill
  3. spell — a short time
  4. race — humankind
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. prune — to trim
  10. craft — boats
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. race — the arms race
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pass — a permit
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. spell — magic
  18. race — a contest
  19. tear — from crying
  20. spell — letters
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. tear — from crying

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