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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. roll — a cake
  3. fall — the season
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. row — to paddle
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pass — a permit
  9. row — a line
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. suit — clothes
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. swing — music
  14. band — a ring
  15. swing — to play on
  16. band — a music group
  17. fall — to drop
  18. suit — in cards
  19. roll — a list
  20. suit — to fit
  21. swing — in golf
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pass — to spend time

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