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 · calf · deal · rush · cell · firm

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. tear — to rip
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. tear — from crying
  5. firm — decided
  6. deal — to handle
  7. cell — a phone
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. firm — a company
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. cell — in biology
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rush — hurry
  18. tear — from crying

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