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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bore — to tire
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. current — electric
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bore — to drill
  12. current — of water
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. tear — to rip
  16. current — happening now
  17. pop — music
  18. pop — to visit
  19. tear — from crying
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. tear — from crying
  23. wake — a trail
  24. lie — to recline

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