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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. rest — a break
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. chest — of your body
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. rest — what's left
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bear — the animal
  15. chest — a box
  16. vault — a safe
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bat — the animal
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — certain
  24. bound — obliged

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