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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bound — tied together
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. lean — thin
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. mine — for digging
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bound — obliged
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. bound — certain
  19. lean — to bend
  20. bat — the animal
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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