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 120 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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. suit — to fit
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. suit — clothes
  7. rash — a series
  8. kid — child
  9. content — the amount
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. rash — hasty
  12. suit — in cards
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a signal
  20. content — happy
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wind — moving air

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