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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. last — to go on
  4. bear — the animal
  5. last — finally
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bear — the animal
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. object — an aim
  10. bound — tied together
  11. object — to protest
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bound — certain
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. last — final
  18. bound — obliged

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