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 120 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: hand · pit · tear · ruler · board · object · kick · staff

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. board — to get on
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. tear — from crying
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. staff — employees
  8. kick — in football
  9. tear — from crying
  10. hand — help
  11. staff — a stick
  12. object — an aim
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. staff — employees
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. object — to protest
  17. tear — to rip
  18. hand — in cards
  19. pit — a hole
  20. object — a thing
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. pit — in a race

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