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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wake — a trail
  3. row — a line
  4. firm — steady
  5. rock — a stone
  6. row — to paddle
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. swing — in golf
  9. cell — a phone
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. firm — decided
  15. rush — hurry
  16. mate — a friend
  17. cell — in biology
  18. firm — a company
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. mate — a partner
  21. rock — music
  22. swing — music
  23. mate — to breed
  24. swing — to play on

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