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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. chest — of your body
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. hand — help
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. ground — crushed
  9. key — in music
  10. ground — a position
  11. chest — of your body
  12. key — for a lock
  13. chest — a box
  14. lean — to bend
  15. ground — the earth
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. key — the most important part
  23. lean — thin
  24. wave — with your hand

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