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 120 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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. pass — a permit
  5. rest — what's left
  6. mate — a partner
  7. firm — steady
  8. rest — a break
  9. firm — a company
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. field — farmland
  12. shower — to wash
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. field — for sport
  15. rest — what's left
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. tear — from crying
  19. mate — a friend
  20. tear — from crying
  21. mate — to breed
  22. firm — decided
  23. field — a subject
  24. shower — rain

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