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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — in sport
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rash — a series
  5. bear — the animal
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wind — moving air
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. rest — what's left
  11. wind — moving air
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. net — after costs
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. rash — hasty
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — to keep secret

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