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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. roll — a list
  3. roll — a cake
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. pit — a hole
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. kick — in football
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. dip — to sink
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. pit — in a race
  24. kick — a thrill

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