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: ball · fine · pound · wave · root · pit · spell · current

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. root — of a plant
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pit — a hole
  6. current — electric
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. spell — letters
  14. current — of water
  15. root — of a word
  16. fine — all right
  17. root — the cause
  18. pit — in a race
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. spell — a short time
  21. ball — a great time
  22. fine — high quality
  23. current — happening now
  24. spell — magic

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