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: bulb · object · fine · racket · straw · tear · scale · fall

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. object — to protest
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. fall — to drop
  9. scale — size or range
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. scale — in music
  12. tear — from crying
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. object — an aim
  16. fall — the season
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fine — high quality
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. object — a thing
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. fine — all right
  23. bulb — for light
  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