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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rest — what's left
  4. wind — moving air
  5. sharp — clever
  6. rest — a break
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. ball — a dance
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. root — of a plant
  13. root — the cause
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. dip — to sink
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. root — of a word
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. rest — what's left
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. ball — a great time

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