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: rule · wave · dip · row · wind · wake · racket · bulb

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rule — a law
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bulb — for light
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. dip — to sink
  15. rule — government
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. row — to paddle
  20. wake — a trail
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. row — a line
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. wave — with your hand

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