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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. object — a thing
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tear — to rip
  8. march — the month
  9. march — music
  10. suit — clothes
  11. tube — the underground
  12. march — the month
  13. tear — from crying
  14. cold — not warm
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. cold — an illness
  17. suit — in cards
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. object — to protest
  20. tube — a container
  21. suit — to fit
  22. tear — from crying
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. object — an aim

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