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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. suit — clothes
  6. march — music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. march — the month
  9. key — for a lock
  10. cell — a phone
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. squash — the sport
  15. squash — to crush
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. key — in music
  18. rush — hurry
  19. march — the month
  20. mine — for digging
  21. suit — to fit
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. cell — in biology

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