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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bark — to shout
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wound — an injury
  8. stock — goods
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bear — the animal
  11. lean — thin
  12. lean — to bend
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. pitch — completely
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. wake — a trail
  23. stock — shares
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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