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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tear · land · pass · ground · ruler · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. land — a country
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. tear — from crying
  6. land — ground
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. ground — the earth
  9. craft — boats
  10. tear — from crying
  11. pass — a permit
  12. land — to come down
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. craft — a skill
  16. ground — a position
  17. tear — to rip
  18. ground — crushed

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