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: wave · clip · ball · pit · firm · track · current · tube

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. firm — steady
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. pit — in a race
  7. track — a song
  8. track — a path
  9. tube — a container
  10. clip — a video
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. current — electric
  13. clip — to cut
  14. firm — decided
  15. clip — for paper
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. current — of water
  18. ball — a great time
  19. pit — a hole
  20. current — happening now
  21. tube — the underground
  22. track — to keep track
  23. firm — a company
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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