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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. capital — money
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — thin
  6. club — a group
  7. capital — a city
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. date — the fruit
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. fall — to drop
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. fall — to drop
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. fall — the season
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. club — for dancing
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. rush — hurry
  22. club — for golf
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. rush — to hurry

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