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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. pit — in a race
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. season — of the year
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. date — the fruit
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. pit — a hole
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. season — in sport
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wake — a trail
  18. stem — to come from
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. wave — of the sea

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