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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. tear — from crying
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. can — a tin
  7. face — to confront
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. perch — the fish
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. face — part of the head
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. tear — from crying
  14. rash — a series
  15. wind — moving air
  16. can — a tin
  17. face — to point toward
  18. mine — for digging
  19. can — to be able to
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. wind — moving air
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. tear — to rip
  24. rash — hasty

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