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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rock — music
  6. bear — the animal
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. branch — a division
  9. land — a country
  10. land — to come down
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. last — to go on
  13. dip — to sink
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. last — finally
  17. land — ground
  18. bear — the animal
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. last — final
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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