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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. mark — a trace
  4. face — to point toward
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. roll — a list
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. rash — hasty
  13. squash — to crush
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. squash — the sport
  16. roll — a cake
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. face — to confront
  19. face — part of the head
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. mark — a grade
  23. stand — to bear
  24. roll — on a roll

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