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 116 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 am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wound — an injury
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. fall — to drop
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wound — an injury
  11. fall — the season
  12. rush — hurry
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. press — a publisher
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. saw — the tool
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. press — newspapers
  21. press — to push
  22. fall — to drop
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. saw — the tool

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