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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. spring — a coil
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. degree — temperature
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. staff — a stick
  14. degree — an amount
  15. staff — employees
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. spring — the season
  18. bore — to drill
  19. spring — of water
  20. degree — from a university
  21. bore — to tire
  22. staff — employees
  23. rush — hurry
  24. cabinet — ministers

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