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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. clip — for paper
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. clip — a video
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pitch — completely
  13. can — a tin
  14. present — there
  15. clip — to cut
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. can — a tin
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. present — the time now
  22. can — to be able to
  23. present — a gift
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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