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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. degree — from a university
  4. roll — a list
  5. tear — from crying
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. tear — from crying
  9. tear — to rip
  10. degree — temperature
  11. degree — an amount
  12. rest — a break
  13. fine — high quality
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fine — all right
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. wind — moving air
  19. rest — what's left
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. roll — a cake
  22. wind — moving air
  23. rest — what's left
  24. wind — to turn a key

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