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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. roll — a cake
  5. rock — a stone
  6. can — a tin
  7. present — the time now
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. game — wild animals
  11. rock — music
  12. present — there
  13. can — to be able to
  14. cap — of ice
  15. can — a tin
  16. roll — a list
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. cap — a lid
  19. game — a match
  20. present — a gift
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. cap — a hat
  24. rock — to move gently

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