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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. pop — to visit
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. spring — of water
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. pop — music
  14. chip — for betting
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. pop — soda
  19. spring — a coil
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chip — to eat
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. spring — the season
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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