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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. spell — a short time
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. spell — magic
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. bulb — for light
  13. game — a match
  14. spell — letters
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. bat — the animal
  17. game — wild animals
  18. mark — to pay attention

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