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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — from crying
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bore — to drill
  5. game — wild animals
  6. bulb — for light
  7. last — to go on
  8. bore — to tire
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. last — finally
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. last — final
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stock — shares
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. stock — goods
  18. face — to confront
  19. bulb — for light
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. face — to point toward
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. game — a match
  24. tear — to rip

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