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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — to trim
  4. field — farmland
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. kick — in football
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pass — a permit
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. field — a subject
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. charge — in control
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. march — music
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. march — the month
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. charge — electricity
  20. march — the month
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. wake — a trail
  23. charge — a price
  24. field — for sport

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