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: stand · wake · tear · game · fine · bore · pass · bound

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bore — to drill
  4. fine — high quality
  5. tear — from crying
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. tear — to rip
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. pass — a permit
  13. game — a match
  14. stand — to bear
  15. wake — a trail
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. game — wild animals
  18. bore — to tire
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bound — tied together
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. bound — certain
  23. fine — all right
  24. stand — for spectators

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