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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. board — a committee
  3. mug — a cup
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. mug — a face
  6. rash — a series
  7. object — to protest
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. lie — to recline
  10. spring — the season
  11. spring — a coil
  12. mug — to rob
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. board — to get on
  16. bear — the animal
  17. object — an aim
  18. rash — hasty
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. spring — of water
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bear — the animal
  23. object — a thing
  24. board — a flat piece

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