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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. swing — to play on
  4. craft — a skill
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. swing — in golf
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. stock — goods
  13. season — of the year
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pass — a permit
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. stock — shares
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. swing — music
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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