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 116 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. track — a path
  9. lean — to bend
  10. game — a match
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. lean — thin
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. game — wild animals
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. track — to keep track
  23. sharp — clever
  24. bowl — to roll

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