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: cold · wake · wave · cap · stick · ruler

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. cap — a hat
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wake — a trail
  14. cold — not warm
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cold — the Cold War

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