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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. clip — to cut
  3. key — the most important part
  4. mug — to rob
  5. pop — music
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. spring — a coil
  8. spring — the season
  9. pop — soda
  10. clip — a video
  11. mug — a face
  12. pop — to visit
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. key — for a lock
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. clip — for paper
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. key — in music
  21. mug — a cup
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. spring — of water
  24. patient — a sick person

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