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: rock · tear · hide · fan · toast · pop · scale · race

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. toast — bread
  7. rock — a stone
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. race — the arms race
  10. pop — soda
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. race — humankind
  13. tear — from crying
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. tear — to rip
  17. scale — size or range
  18. pop — music
  19. scale — in music
  20. race — a contest
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. rock — music
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. pop — to visit

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