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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. can — a tin
  3. drill — the tool
  4. can — a tin
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. drill — a practice
  7. spell — magic
  8. spell — letters
  9. face — to point toward
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. saw — the tool
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to confront
  19. bear — the animal
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. can — to be able to
  24. drill — army training

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