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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tear — from crying
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. band — a ring
  6. tear — to rip
  7. firm — decided
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. firm — steady
  10. band — a music group
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. court — of a king
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. firm — a company
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. plane — a tool
  19. court — of law
  20. court — for sport
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. kid — child
  23. kid — to tease
  24. plane — in geometry

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