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: wave · tear · leaves · lean · lash · fork · straw · pitcher

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. fork — in a road
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. lean — thin
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. tear — from crying
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. tear — to rip
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lean — to bend
  24. fork — to eat with

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