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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. lean — to bend
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wound — an injury
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — thin
  14. roll — a list
  15. band — a ring
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. band — a music group
  19. bark — to shout
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. toast — bread
  22. roll — a cake
  23. wound — an injury
  24. safe — a strongbox

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