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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. last — to go on
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. present — the time now
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. mark — a grade
  7. present — a gift
  8. rush — hurry
  9. court — of law
  10. present — there
  11. court — for sport
  12. bass — low music
  13. pit — a hole
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. last — final
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. court — of a king
  22. mark — a trace
  23. last — finally
  24. rush — a thrill

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