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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. wound — an injury
  3. tear — to rip
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — from crying
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. wound — an injury
  9. board — a committee
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. board — to get on
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stem — to come from
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. safe — a strongbox

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