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: file · mouse · content · tear · rule · bear · bank · face

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. face — to confront
  3. tear — to rip
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — of a river
  9. rule — a law
  10. content — happy
  11. tear — from crying
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bank — for money
  14. face — to point toward
  15. face — part of the head
  16. file — a tool
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. file — a line of people
  19. rule — government
  20. tear — from crying
  21. content — the amount
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. file — a document
  24. mouse — the animal

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