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 116 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: wave · nail · march · firm · sharp · scale · season · shower

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. march — the month
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. sharp — clever
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. march — music
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. shower — rain
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. season — of the year
  16. firm — decided
  17. shower — to wash
  18. march — the month
  19. scale — in music
  20. firm — a company
  21. season — in sport
  22. firm — steady
  23. scale — size or range
  24. nail — on a finger

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