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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — of the year
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. row — to paddle
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. row — a line
  14. pound — a weight
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — to crush
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. rush — hurry
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. rush — to hurry

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