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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. key — for a lock
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. key — in music
  11. bear — the animal
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bear — the animal
  16. branch — a division
  17. key — the most important part
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. degree — temperature
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. degree — an amount
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. degree — from a university

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