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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. game — wild animals
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. content — happy
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. game — a match
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. stand — to bear
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. content — the amount
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. rush — hurry

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