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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — the underground
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bass — low music
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. mark — a trace
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bass — the fish
  21. band — a ring
  22. band — a music group
  23. sharp — clever
  24. band — a rubber band

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