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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. wake — a trail
  3. tear — from crying
  4. file — a tool
  5. object — a thing
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. branch — a division
  8. object — to protest
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. cue — for pool
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. cue — a hint
  13. tear — to rip
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. object — an aim
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. fine — high quality
  19. cue — a signal
  20. file — a document
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. fine — all right
  24. file — a line of people

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