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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. game — a match
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. march — the month
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. season — in sport
  8. bulb — for light
  9. game — wild animals
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. wake — a trail
  13. season — of the year
  14. march — the month
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. march — music
  17. prune — to trim
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. bulb — for light
  24. prune — to trim

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