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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. stand — to bear
  5. key — the most important part
  6. wind — moving air
  7. club — for golf
  8. wind — moving air
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — a weight
  11. spell — a short time
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. club — a group
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. key — in music
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. key — for a lock
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. spell — letters
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. spell — magic

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