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: bay · rest · wave · stand · file · safe · tear · rush

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. rest — a break
  10. file — a tool
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. tear — from crying
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rest — what's left
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. file — a document
  19. file — a line of people
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. tear — to rip

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