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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. scale — in music
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. root — of a word
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mark — a trace
  15. scale — size or range
  16. root — of a plant
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. mate — a friend
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — to tire
  21. mark — a grade
  22. root — the cause
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mark — to pay attention

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