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 · dip · capital · wound · bulb · rock · foot · pass

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. tear — from crying
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — a measure
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. rock — music
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. capital — a city
  10. bulb — for light
  11. tear — from crying
  12. pass — a permit
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. wound — an injury
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. wound — an injury
  19. dip — to sink
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. capital — money
  24. tear — to rip

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