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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. ground — the earth
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. ground — crushed
  7. hand — help
  8. rash — a series
  9. net — in sport
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. hand — in cards
  12. ground — a position
  13. rash — hasty
  14. net — for catching
  15. net — after costs
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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