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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. lean — thin
  3. suit — in cards
  4. pop — soda
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. lean — to bend
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — a container
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. tear — from crying
  12. suit — clothes
  13. fine — all right
  14. suit — to fit
  15. hand — in cards
  16. pop — to visit
  17. tear — from crying
  18. mark — a trace
  19. hand — help
  20. fine — high quality
  21. mark — a grade
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. pop — music
  24. tube — in a tire

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