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: rush · land · kick · wave · sharp · drill · fine · bay

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. kick — in football
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. rush — hurry
  6. drill — the tool
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. sharp — clever
  13. drill — a practice
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. drill — army training
  17. land — to come down
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — high quality
  21. land — a country
  22. land — ground
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. fine — a penalty

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