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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. rash — hasty
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. rash — a series
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — a trail
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fork — in a road
  22. content — happy
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. fork — a garden tool

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