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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. rest — a break
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. march — the month
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. march — the month
  12. rest — what's left
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. current — electric
  15. march — music
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. current — of water
  19. squash — to crush
  20. kick — in football
  21. rest — what's left
  22. squash — the sport
  23. ball — a dance
  24. current — happening now

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