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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. deal — to handle
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. file — a tool
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. swing — music
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. swing — to play on
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lean — thin
  12. degree — from a university
  13. swing — in golf
  14. degree — an amount
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. file — a line of people
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. lie — to recline
  19. branch — a division
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. file — a document
  22. degree — temperature
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. lean — to bend

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