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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. swing — to play on
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. swing — in golf
  8. track — a path
  9. branch — a division
  10. cue — a hint
  11. row — a line
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. pitch — completely
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. cue — for pool
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. row — to paddle
  21. cue — a signal
  22. swing — music
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. leaves — lets stay

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