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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. ground — crushed
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wake — a trail
  11. mate — to breed
  12. ground — a position
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mate — a friend
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. ground — the earth
  19. mate — a partner
  20. cell — a phone
  21. cell — in biology
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. wave — with your hand

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