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'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. land — a country
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. land — to come down
  9. pop — to visit
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. shower — rain
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. shower — to wash
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. pass — a permit
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. pop — music
  20. foot — a measure
  21. wake — a trail
  22. pop — soda
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. staff — employees

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