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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. tube — the underground
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. firm — decided
  8. tear — from crying
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. drill — army training
  11. tear — to rip
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. mine — for digging
  14. firm — a company
  15. tube — a container
  16. rush — hurry
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. firm — steady
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. drill — the tool
  23. drill — a practice
  24. pass — a permit

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