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 · bear · ruler · tear · rock · date · race · wind

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — a stone
  4. race — humankind
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. race — the arms race
  8. last — final
  9. tear — to rip
  10. wind — moving air
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. last — finally
  14. last — to go on
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. tear — from crying
  18. wind — moving air
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. race — a contest
  21. rock — music
  22. date — the fruit
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — the animal

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