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: fine · bowl · tear · snap · trunk · rule

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — to rip
  3. fine — all right
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. fine — high quality
  12. rule — a law
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. tear — from crying
  15. snap — to click
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. rule — government
  18. bowl — to roll

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