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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — the fruit
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bank — of a river
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. fork — in a road
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. date — on the calendar

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