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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. content — the amount
  3. rush — hurry
  4. scale — size or range
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bank — of a river
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. bank — for money
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mate — a partner
  16. content — happy
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. scale — in music
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. mate — a friend
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. mate — to breed
  24. bank — for money

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