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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  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. ruler — a monarch
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. file — a document
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. tear — to rip
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. lean — thin
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. lean — to bend
  15. file — a tool
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. file — a line of people
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. tear — from crying
  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