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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. pit — in a race
  3. spring — of water
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. march — music
  7. spring — a coil
  8. pit — a hole
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. march — the month
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. staff — employees
  17. rest — what's left
  18. staff — a stick
  19. rush — hurry
  20. spring — the season
  21. march — the month
  22. staff — employees
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. wave — with your hand

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