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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. pound — a weight
  3. ground — the earth
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. tear — to rip
  6. saw — the tool
  7. spell — letters
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — a publisher
  10. spell — a short time
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. tear — from crying
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. spell — magic
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ground — a position
  22. date — the fruit
  23. ground — crushed
  24. press — to push

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