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 116 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bound — certain
  3. ground — the earth
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. ground — crushed
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. mug — a cup
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mug — a face
  12. mug — to rob
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. ground — a position
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bound — obliged
  20. season — in sport
  21. branch — a division
  22. chip — for betting
  23. season — of the year
  24. bound — tied together

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