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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. track — a song
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. track — to keep track
  7. wound — an injury
  8. plane — a tool
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. track — a path
  13. spell — a short time
  14. wound — an injury
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. mark — a trace
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — letters
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. plane — in geometry

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