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 120 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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bound — certain
  5. cold — an illness
  6. bore — to drill
  7. pound — a weight
  8. cold — not warm
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — the season
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. can — to be able to
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. foot — a measure
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bore — to tire
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. bound — tied together

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