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: snap · wound · temple · mark · bay · tear · stick · mate

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. mate — a friend
  6. tear — from crying
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. wound — an injury
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. snap — to click
  13. tear — to rip
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a partner
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. mark — a trace
  19. wound — an injury
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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