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: last · fall · bear · lash · fan · scale · can · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. fall — the season
  7. scale — size or range
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. last — finally
  10. can — to be able to
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. last — final
  17. bear — the animal
  18. scale — in music
  19. fall — to drop
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. last — to go on
  24. scale — for weighing

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