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 · wave · spring · wake · perch · safe · tube · deal

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. deal — to handle
  5. wake — a trail
  6. last — finally
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. spring — of water
  12. last — final
  13. tube — the underground
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. spring — the season
  16. tube — a container
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. last — to go on
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. spring — a coil
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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