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: shower · ruler · bore · drill · lie · tear · lash · coach

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. tear — to rip
  3. shower — rain
  4. tear — from crying
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bore — to drill
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. tear — from crying
  11. lie — to recline
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bore — to tire
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. shower — to wash
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. drill — army training
  20. drill — the tool
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. drill — a practice

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