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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bat — the animal
  3. hand — help
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — a publisher
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. press — to push
  16. hand — in cards
  17. stem — to come from
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. pit — in a race
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — a measure
  23. pit — a hole
  24. bat — for baseball

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