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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. kick — in football
  3. spring — the season
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. spring — a coil
  6. plane — a tool
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. roll — a list
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. spring — of water
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. tear — from crying
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. roll — a cake
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. tear — from crying
  24. racket — a loud noise

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