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: rest · craft · object · dip · rush · saw · bore · tear

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. rush — hurry
  6. tear — to rip
  7. dip — to sink
  8. object — a thing
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. tear — from crying
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. saw — the tool
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a skill
  17. bore — to tire
  18. rest — a break
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — to protest
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. saw — the tool
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bore — to drill

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