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 · rash · wake · game · suit · bear · dip · ball

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. rash — a series
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. tear — from crying
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. dip — to sink
  8. tear — to rip
  9. bear — the animal
  10. game — wild animals
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — to fit
  13. game — a match
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. wake — a trail
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. tear — from crying
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. bear — the animal
  20. suit — clothes
  21. ball — a dance
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. ball — a great time

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