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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. bulb — for light
  11. season — in sport
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wake — a trail
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — an injury
  24. season — to add flavour

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