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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. pit — in a race
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. pit — a hole
  7. rest — what's left
  8. file — a document
  9. rest — a break
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rest — what's left
  12. file — a line of people
  13. file — a tool
  14. chip — to eat
  15. fall — the season
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. chip — for betting
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — to drop

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