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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. row — a line
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. row — to paddle
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. tear — from crying
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. plane — a tool
  12. chip — for betting
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. rule — government
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. tear — from crying
  19. rule — a law
  20. tear — to rip
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — part of the head
  23. chip — to eat
  24. face — to point toward

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