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: foot · temple · row · object · tear · toast · mark · shower

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. object — to protest
  3. row — to paddle
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. shower — rain
  6. tear — from crying
  7. object — a thing
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. toast — bread
  11. foot — a measure
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. tear — to rip
  16. row — a line
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. mark — a grade
  19. shower — to wash
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. object — an aim
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. mark — a trace
  24. tear — from crying

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