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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. tear — from crying
  3. fine — all right
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. row — to paddle
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. dip — to sink
  10. lie — to recline
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. tear — from crying
  16. board — a committee
  17. row — a line
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. fine — high quality
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. wake — a trail

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