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: staff · wound · bear · tear · fine · wind · stand · ruler

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wind — moving air
  3. staff — employees
  4. tear — from crying
  5. wound — an injury
  6. fine — all right
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. stand — to bear
  13. wind — moving air
  14. bear — the animal
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. tear — to rip
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. tear — from crying

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