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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. mate — a friend
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. row — a line
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. court — of a king
  9. mate — to breed
  10. court — of law
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. row — to paddle
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mine — for digging
  16. capital — a city
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. court — for sport
  19. bore — to drill
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bore — to tire
  23. capital — money
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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