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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — to rip
  3. wind — moving air
  4. perch — the fish
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wind — moving air
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bank — for money
  10. tear — from crying
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. file — a line of people
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. file — a document
  18. file — a tool
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. wake — a trail
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bank — of a river
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bank — for money

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