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 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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. file — a tool
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. file — a line of people
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. kick — in football
  9. scale — size or range
  10. press — newspapers
  11. file — a document
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — to push
  14. court — of a king
  15. scale — in music
  16. court — for sport
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. court — of law

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