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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. swing — to play on
  4. shower — rain
  5. hand — help
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. chest — a box
  8. mate — a friend
  9. swing — music
  10. hand — in cards
  11. rash — a series
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. mate — to breed
  15. rash — hasty
  16. shower — to wash
  17. chest — of your body
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. swing — in golf
  20. mate — a partner
  21. ball — a great time
  22. chest — of your body
  23. ball — a dance
  24. wave — with your hand

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