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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. cold — not warm
  4. chip — for betting
  5. swing — music
  6. rest — a break
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. suit — clothes
  9. tear — to rip
  10. tear — from crying
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. suit — in cards
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. suit — to fit
  19. cold — an illness
  20. chip — to eat
  21. swing — to play on
  22. swing — in golf
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. rest — what's left

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