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 am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. toast — bread
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. key — the most important part
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. wound — an injury
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. file — a line of people
  14. key — for a lock
  15. race — the arms race
  16. wound — an injury
  17. key — in music
  18. race — humankind
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. file — a document
  23. race — a contest
  24. file — a tool

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