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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. key — for a lock
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. squash — the sport
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. game — a match
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. key — the most important part
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. squash — to crush
  17. wake — a trail
  18. key — in music
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. lie — to recline
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. deal — to handle

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