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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bank — for money
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. track — a path
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. track — a song
  9. tear — from crying
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — of ice
  12. wax — to grow
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bank — for money
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. cap — a lid
  20. tear — from crying
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. track — to keep track
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bowl — a dish

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