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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. squash — to crush
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. vault — a safe
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. band — a music group
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pop — to visit
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. pop — soda
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. band — a ring
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. squash — the sport
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. deal — to handle
  23. stem — to come from
  24. arm — a part of something

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