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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. march — the month
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bound — obliged
  6. march — the month
  7. mate — to breed
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. bound — tied together
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. bound — certain
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — to bear
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. mate — a partner
  19. march — music
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mate — a friend
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. cabinet — ministers

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