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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. rule — government
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. capital — money
  7. season — of the year
  8. rule — a law
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bass — low music
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. bass — the fish
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. shower — rain
  16. season — in sport
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. capital — a city
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. kick — in football
  24. bass — the instrument

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