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 120 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: root · snap · can · bound · tear · hide · rule · season

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. bound — tied together
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. bound — obliged
  5. snap — to click
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. tear — from crying
  8. can — a tin
  9. root — of a plant
  10. can — a tin
  11. season — of the year
  12. can — to be able to
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. root — of a word
  18. tear — to rip
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. season — in sport
  21. rule — government
  22. rule — a law
  23. root — the cause
  24. bound — certain

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