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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. track — a song
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. mug — to rob
  5. fall — the season
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mug — a cup
  8. court — of a king
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. fall — to drop
  12. present — there
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. present — a gift
  15. mug — a face
  16. present — the time now
  17. plane — a tool
  18. track — to keep track
  19. court — for sport
  20. fall — to drop
  21. court — of law
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. track — a path
  24. wave — of the sea

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