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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. roll — a cake
  10. tube — the underground
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. tube — a container
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. spring — of water
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. lean — to bend
  18. rock — music
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. lean — thin
  21. rock — a stone
  22. roll — a list
  23. spring — the season
  24. lean — to rest against

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