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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. branch — a division
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. tube — the underground
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. wind — moving air
  10. tube — a container
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. hand — help
  14. wind — moving air
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. pass — a permit
  20. content — happy
  21. content — the amount
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. tube — in a tire

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