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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. saw — the tool
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. craft — boats
  6. face — part of the head
  7. craft — a skill
  8. object — to protest
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. lie — to recline
  11. spell — a short time
  12. file — a document
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. object — a thing
  15. object — an aim
  16. file — a tool
  17. spell — magic
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. spell — letters
  20. face — to point toward
  21. saw — the tool
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. file — a line of people
  24. face — to confront

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