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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. drill — the tool
  3. object — a thing
  4. drill — a practice
  5. spell — a short time
  6. bank — of a river
  7. spell — magic
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. date — the fruit
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bank — for money
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to bend
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. wind — moving air
  20. object — to protest
  21. spell — letters
  22. bank — for money
  23. object — an aim
  24. drill — army training

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