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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. spring — of water
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wake — a trail
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. toast — bread
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. chip — to eat
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. spring — the season
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. rush — hurry
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. spring — a coil
  23. chair — a leader
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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