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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  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. date — on the calendar
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. net — after costs
  5. vault — a safe
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. wind — moving air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. net — in sport
  11. wind — moving air
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. date — the fruit
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. net — for catching
  22. kick — in football
  23. fan — a supporter
  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