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: row · ruler · object · craft · tear · suit · toast · cold

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cold — an illness
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. tear — to rip
  7. row — to paddle
  8. tear — from crying
  9. object — an aim
  10. suit — to fit
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — to protest
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. cold — not warm
  19. row — a line
  20. toast — bread
  21. suit — clothes
  22. craft — a skill
  23. suit — in cards
  24. craft — boats

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