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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. tear — from crying
  3. bear — the animal
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. tear — to rip
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. hand — in cards
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. wake — a trail
  15. bulb — for light
  16. hand — help
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. march — the month
  19. bulb — for light
  20. march — music
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. bulb — of a plant
  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