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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. tear — to rip
  3. rest — what's left
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. tear — from crying
  7. charge — electricity
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. cap — a lid
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. tear — from crying
  12. rest — what's left
  13. deal — to handle
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. snap — to click
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. rest — a break
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — a price
  23. cap — a hat
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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