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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. file — a document
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. degree — from a university
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. lean — to bend
  10. file — a tool
  11. bear — the animal
  12. file — a line of people
  13. degree — temperature
  14. bear — the animal
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. degree — an amount
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. lean — thin
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. kick — in football

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