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 124 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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. cap — a lid
  3. rush — hurry
  4. cap — of ice
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. spring — of water
  9. shower — to wash
  10. spring — the season
  11. rock — music
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. cap — a hat
  19. spring — a coil
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. rock — a stone
  22. shower — rain
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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