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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. date — the fruit
  3. lean — to bend
  4. firm — steady
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mug — a face
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — decided
  13. fall — to drop
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. fall — to drop
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. fall — the season
  18. lean — thin
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. mug — to rob
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — to get on
  24. wave — with your hand

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