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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. charge — a price
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. spell — a short time
  6. firm — steady
  7. mine — for digging
  8. degree — from a university
  9. race — a contest
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. degree — an amount
  13. spell — magic
  14. charge — in control
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. degree — temperature
  17. charge — electricity
  18. firm — decided
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. race — the arms race
  21. race — humankind
  22. firm — a company
  23. spell — letters
  24. mine — belonging to me

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