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

Word bank: rule · mine · rush · bat · pop · wave

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. rule — government
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. pop — soda
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. mine — for digging
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. pop — music
  14. bat — the animal
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. rule — a law
  18. pop — to visit

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