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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wave · track · net · stick · pound · land

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. net — for catching
  3. track — a song
  4. land — ground
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. track — to keep track
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. net — in sport
  12. track — a path
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. land — to come down
  16. pound — a weight
  17. net — after costs
  18. land — a country

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