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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. can — a tin
  4. tear — from crying
  5. bound — certain
  6. bear — the animal
  7. tear — from crying
  8. can — a tin
  9. tear — to rip
  10. bank — for money
  11. race — humankind
  12. pit — in a race
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. bear — the animal
  16. race — the arms race
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bank — for money
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bound — tied together
  21. pit — a hole
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. race — a contest
  24. bank — of a river

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