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: rush · mouse · craft · face · rash · kid · tear · temple

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. kid — to tease
  5. rush — hurry
  6. kid — child
  7. tear — from crying
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. craft — boats
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. face — to confront
  13. craft — a skill
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. face — to point toward
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. tear — from crying
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. rash — hasty
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. face — part of the head
  24. rash — a series

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