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: race · kid · lie · tear · lean · vault · bear · temple

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. bear — the animal
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. tear — from crying
  6. race — humankind
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bear — the animal
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. kid — to tease
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. tear — from crying
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. lean — to bend
  15. kid — child
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. lean — thin
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. race — the arms race
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. lie — to recline
  22. vault — a safe
  23. race — a contest
  24. lie — an untruth

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