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: deal · fine · tear · rash · bear · pitch · row · hide

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fine — high quality
  3. tear — from crying
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. pitch — completely
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rash — a series
  13. tear — from crying
  14. fine — all right
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. tear — to rip
  17. deal — to handle
  18. row — to paddle
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bear — the animal
  23. row — a line
  24. hide — animal skin

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