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 116 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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. suit — to fit
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. suit — clothes
  9. net — after costs
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. chair — a leader
  12. lean — to bend
  13. net — for catching
  14. net — in sport
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mine — for digging
  17. lean — thin
  18. snap — to click
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. lean — to rest against

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