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 116 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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. board — to get on
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mate — a friend
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. tube — the underground
  10. field — farmland
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. board — a committee
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. root — of a word
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. mate — to breed
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. field — for sport
  20. tube — a container
  21. root — the cause
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. root — of a plant
  24. field — a subject

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