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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — electricity
  4. stem — to come from
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rock — music
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. bulb — for light
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rock — a stone
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. scale — in music
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. charge — a price
  23. scale — size or range
  24. racket — a loud noise

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