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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. rest — what's left
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rest — a break
  6. pit — in a race
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. pop — soda
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. lean — thin
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. lean — to bend
  14. object — a thing
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. pit — a hole
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. rest — what's left
  19. object — to protest
  20. pop — music
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. object — an aim
  24. pop — to visit

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