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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. present — the time now
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. present — there
  5. sharp — clever
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. present — a gift
  10. track — a path
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. bass — low music
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bass — the fish
  15. track — a song
  16. track — to keep track
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. deal — to handle
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. deal — an agreement

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