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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. ball — a dance
  3. chest — of your body
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. chest — a box
  7. current — electric
  8. ball — a great time
  9. current — of water
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. saw — the tool
  13. vault — a safe
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. chest — of your body
  18. bulb — for light
  19. branch — a division
  20. current — happening now
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. bulb — for light

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