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 120 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. chip — for betting
  3. staff — a stick
  4. pop — music
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. pop — to visit
  7. track — a path
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. track — a song
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. row — to paddle
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. chip — to eat
  18. track — to keep track
  19. row — a line
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. pop — soda
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

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