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 116 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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. fall — to drop
  3. clip — a video
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — the season
  8. bear — the animal
  9. band — a ring
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. band — a music group
  13. bear — the animal
  14. plane — a tool
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. vault — a safe
  17. can — a tin
  18. clip — for paper
  19. can — a tin
  20. clip — to cut
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. can — to be able to
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bear — to put up with

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