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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. tube — the underground
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. fine — all right
  10. can — to be able to
  11. cell — a phone
  12. can — a tin
  13. rash — hasty
  14. cell — in biology
  15. tube — a container
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. can — a tin
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rash — a series
  22. fine — high quality
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. patient — a sick person

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