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: rule · bank · race · wound · plane · cue · date · tear

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. bank — of a river
  5. race — a contest
  6. plane — a tool
  7. wound — an injury
  8. cue — for pool
  9. race — humankind
  10. bank — for money
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — government
  13. wound — an injury
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — the fruit
  17. rule — a law
  18. tear — to rip
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bank — for money
  21. tear — from crying
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — a hint
  24. race — the arms 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