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 120 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. present — the time now
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. key — for a lock
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. present — there
  10. court — of a king
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wound — an injury
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. ground — the earth
  15. court — of law
  16. present — a gift
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. court — for sport
  19. key — the most important part
  20. ground — crushed
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. ground — a position

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