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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hand — help
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. face — to confront
  6. hand — in cards
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. roll — a list
  10. roll — a cake
  11. drill — army training
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. face — part of the head
  14. bore — to drill
  15. tube — a container
  16. drill — the tool
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bore — to tire
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. drill — a practice
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. tube — the underground
  23. face — to point toward
  24. roll — on a roll

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