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: wave · stand · rest · cap · tear · hide

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. rest — what's left
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. rest — what's left
  5. tear — from crying
  6. cap — a lid
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. rest — a break
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — of ice
  12. stand — to bear
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. tear — from crying
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. tear — to rip
  18. hide — to keep secret

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