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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. spell — letters
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. pit — in a race
  5. race — the arms race
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. net — for catching
  8. net — in sport
  9. hand — in cards
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. wind — moving air
  15. pit — a hole
  16. spell — a short time
  17. suit — clothes
  18. race — humankind
  19. spell — magic
  20. net — after costs
  21. suit — in cards
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. race — a contest
  24. hand — help

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