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: rash · cue · row · wave · date · fine · tear · race

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. tear — from crying
  3. race — the arms race
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. cue — for pool
  8. race — a contest
  9. race — humankind
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. tear — to rip
  12. fine — high quality
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. row — to paddle
  15. row — a line
  16. rash — hasty
  17. date — the fruit
  18. cue — a signal
  19. fine — all right
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. tear — from crying
  22. cue — a hint
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rash — a series

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