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: wake · bear · wave · press · rash · land

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. bear — the animal
  4. land — ground
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. land — to come down
  9. press — a publisher
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. press — to push
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. rash — hasty
  15. press — newspapers
  16. land — a country
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. rash — a series

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