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: tear · mouse · foot · stick · fork · rule · wind · mine

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rule — a law
  6. tear — from crying
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. wind — moving air
  9. rule — government
  10. foot — a measure
  11. tear — from crying
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. fork — in a road
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. tear — to rip
  22. wind — moving air
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. mouse — for a computer

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