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 120 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: pitcher · wave · tear · hide · wake · ruler

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. tear — to rip
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. tear — from crying
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. tear — from crying
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wake — a trail
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. wave — a sudden rise

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