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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. wound — an injury
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. track — a path
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. track — to keep track
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. object — a thing
  11. kick — in football
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. object — to protest
  14. scale — in music
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. track — a song
  18. wound — an injury
  19. chip — for betting
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. scale — size or range
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. chip — to eat

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