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: tear · safe · deal · cell · racket · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. cell — a phone
  3. tear — to rip
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. cell — in biology
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. tear — from crying
  11. deal — to handle
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. tear — from crying
  18. racket — for tennis

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