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: last · wind · tear · deal · rock · pass

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. last — to go on
  3. tear — from crying
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. last — final
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. rock — a stone
  8. last — finally
  9. deal — to handle
  10. tear — to rip
  11. tear — from crying
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. rock — music
  15. wind — moving air
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. rock — to move gently

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