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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. pitch — completely
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wake — a trail
  8. branch — a division
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. rash — hasty
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. toast — bread
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rash — a series
  17. spring — of water
  18. spring — the season
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — in music
  23. spring — a coil
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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