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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. present — the time now
  3. rock — music
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. present — a gift
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. date — the fruit
  8. lean — thin
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. deal — to handle
  13. present — there
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. lean — to bend
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. rock — a stone
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wake — a trail
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. date — on the calendar

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