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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. roll — a cake
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. present — the time now
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. wound — an injury
  9. roll — a list
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. wound — an injury
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. mine — for digging
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — a permit
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. stand — to bear
  23. present — there
  24. present — a gift

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