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 120 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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. kid — to tease
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. rest — a break
  12. stand — to bear
  13. club — for dancing
  14. rest — what's left
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. club — a group
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. club — for golf
  22. rest — what's left
  23. kid — child
  24. dip — to sink

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