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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. club — a group
  3. kick — in football
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. shower — rain
  6. mark — a trace
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. rest — what's left
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. club — for dancing
  13. pound — a weight
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. spell — letters
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. club — for golf
  19. spell — a short time
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. spell — magic
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. shower — to wash

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