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: club · tear · snap · key · wave · rest · rule · ground

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. ground — crushed
  4. ground — the earth
  5. rest — what's left
  6. ground — a position
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. club — for golf
  9. rest — a break
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. rule — government
  12. rest — what's left
  13. tear — from crying
  14. key — for a lock
  15. tear — from crying
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. club — for dancing
  19. key — the most important part
  20. snap — to click
  21. key — in music
  22. rule — a law
  23. club — a group
  24. wave — with your hand

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