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: craft · wave · rush · pit · coach · face · wind · content

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. face — part of the head
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. face — to point toward
  7. craft — boats
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a hole
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. face — to confront
  15. content — happy
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. rush — hurry
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. content — the amount
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. wind — moving air
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. craft — a skill

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