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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. fall — the season
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. current — electric
  6. rush — hurry
  7. fall — to drop
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. current — of water
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — to shout
  13. tear — to rip
  14. tear — from crying
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. fall — to drop
  23. current — happening now
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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