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 120 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: club · mine · dip · spell · hide · wave · bear · court

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. club — for golf
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. dip — to sink
  6. spell — letters
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. mine — for digging
  9. spell — magic
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. bear — the animal
  13. club — for dancing
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. club — a group
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. spell — a short time
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. court — of a king
  21. court — for sport
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. court — of law
  24. bear — to put up with

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