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 116 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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. row — to paddle
  3. drill — army training
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. drill — a practice
  6. vault — a safe
  7. track — to keep track
  8. object — a thing
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. drill — the tool
  12. object — an aim
  13. capital — a city
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. capital — money
  17. track — a path
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. track — a song
  23. object — to protest
  24. row — a line

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