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 120 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: fan · lie · cue · craft · spring · charge · tear · bound

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. spring — the season
  5. craft — boats
  6. tear — from crying
  7. craft — a skill
  8. cue — a hint
  9. bound — obliged
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — tied together
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. spring — a coil
  16. cue — for pool
  17. spring — of water
  18. cue — a signal
  19. tear — from crying
  20. charge — a price
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — in control
  24. lie — an untruth

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