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 · swing · pop · leaves · lash · rock · kid · tube

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. rock — a stone
  5. swing — to play on
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. swing — music
  8. pop — music
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. tear — from crying
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. tear — to rip
  13. kid — child
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. swing — in golf
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. tube — a container
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. kid — to tease
  20. pop — to visit
  21. pop — soda
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. tube — the underground
  24. rock — music

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