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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. ball — a dance
  3. suit — clothes
  4. mate — a friend
  5. game — wild animals
  6. bass — low music
  7. chest — of your body
  8. suit — to fit
  9. game — a match
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. chest — of your body
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. chest — a box
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bass — the fish
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. ball — a great time
  24. mate — a partner

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