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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. spring — the season
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cell — a phone
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — hurry
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. saw — the tool
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rest — what's left
  17. spring — a coil
  18. spring — of water
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. rest — a break
  22. cell — in biology
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bowl — to roll

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