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 120 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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. shower — to wash
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. stand — to bear
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. chest — a box
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. land — a country
  10. land — to come down
  11. press — newspapers
  12. press — a publisher
  13. present — a gift
  14. press — to push
  15. present — the time now
  16. chest — of your body
  17. present — there
  18. shower — rain
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. chest — of your body
  21. land — ground
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. stand — on your feet

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