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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bear — the animal
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. object — an aim
  11. wound — an injury
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. snap — to click
  22. wound — an injury
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — to protest

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