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 · cabinet · bay · lie · chair · wake · racket · ruler

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. tear — from crying
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. tear — to rip
  14. chair — a leader
  15. wake — a trail
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. tear — from crying
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. racket — a loud noise

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