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: chest · wave · rest · bat · bulb · bank · season · fan

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. bank — of a river
  11. chest — of your body
  12. season — of the year
  13. bulb — for light
  14. season — in sport
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. chest — a box
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — a break
  24. fan — a supporter

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