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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. suit — clothes
  6. scale — in music
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. scale — size or range
  9. spell — magic
  10. saw — the tool
  11. spell — letters
  12. bass — low music
  13. tear — to rip
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. spell — a short time
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bass — the fish
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. tear — from crying
  24. saw — the tool

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