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 lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — letters
  5. scale — size or range
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to point toward
  13. vault — a safe
  14. scale — in music
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. face — to confront
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. spell — a short time

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