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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. game — wild animals
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. drill — the tool
  7. ground — a position
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. game — a match
  10. drill — army training
  11. toast — bread
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. drill — a practice
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. lie — to recline
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. ground — crushed
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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