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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. capital — money
  3. branch — a division
  4. mark — a trace
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — in a road
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mark — a grade
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. capital — a city
  12. game — wild animals
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. game — a match
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. date — the fruit
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. mark — to pay attention

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