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 116 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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bass — the fish
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bass — low music
  5. spring — a coil
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. rock — a stone
  10. wake — a trail
  11. rock — music
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. saw — the tool
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. spring — the season
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. spring — of water
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. season — of the year
  23. season — in sport
  24. wake — before a funeral

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