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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. last — to go on
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — to rip
  6. fall — to drop
  7. swing — in golf
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. spell — magic
  10. last — final
  11. spell — a short time
  12. swing — to play on
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. last — finally
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. swing — music
  19. spell — letters
  20. fall — to drop
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. fall — the season

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