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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. chip — for betting
  3. cue — for pool
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. tear — from crying
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. degree — an amount
  13. degree — temperature
  14. degree — from a university
  15. cue — a hint
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. vault — a safe
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. cue — a signal
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. tear — to rip
  24. trunk — of a tree

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