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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. kick — in football
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. saw — the tool
  6. stem — to come from
  7. rush — hurry
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. spell — letters
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. saw — the tool
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — a short time
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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