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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. scale — in music
  8. track — to keep track
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. track — a path
  14. season — of the year
  15. season — in sport
  16. scale — size or range
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. chair — a leader
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. track — a song
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rush — hurry

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