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 · kid · mark · dip · key · rock · hide · fall

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rock — a stone
  5. key — the most important part
  6. kid — child
  7. dip — to sink
  8. rock — music
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. mark — a trace
  12. fall — the season
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. key — in music
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. key — for a lock
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. fall — to drop
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. fall — to drop
  24. kid — to tease

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