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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. lie — to recline
  4. current — of water
  5. chest — a box
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. chest — of your body
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. current — electric
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. kid — to tease
  14. current — happening now
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. stand — to bear
  21. chest — of your body
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. kid — child
  24. wave — of the sea

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