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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. hand — in cards
  6. swing — to play on
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. branch — a division
  11. rash — a series
  12. hand — help
  13. swing — in golf
  14. lean — thin
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. pass — a permit
  18. swing — music
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. rash — hasty
  21. kid — to tease
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. kid — child
  24. lean — to bend

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