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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. mark — a trace
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. game — a match
  9. vault — a safe
  10. game — wild animals
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. prune — to trim
  17. mark — a grade
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. march — music
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. kick — in football
  22. prune — to trim
  23. march — the month
  24. kick — with a leg

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