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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. rash — hasty
  9. pit — a hole
  10. mine — for digging
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. rash — a series
  16. hand — in cards
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. hand — help
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. fork — in a road
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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