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: spring · board · pitch · leaves · wave · current · press · wake

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. press — to push
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. current — of water
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. current — electric
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. pitch — completely
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — a coil
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. current — happening now
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. press — newspapers
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — to get on
  21. press — a publisher
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. spring — the season
  24. board — a committee

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