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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — the underground
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. plane — a tool
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. prune — to trim
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. prune — to trim
  15. current — electric
  16. current — happening now
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. wake — a trail
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. current — of water
  24. plane — an aircraft

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