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: bore · deal · temple · bear · cap · tear

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. cap — a hat
  3. tear — from crying
  4. cap — a lid
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bear — the animal
  7. tear — from crying
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. tear — to rip
  14. bear — the animal
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bore — to tire
  17. cap — of ice
  18. bore — to drill

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