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: bat · track · row · leaves · mate · pop · kick · wave

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. kick — in football
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. pop — soda
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. mate — a partner
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. track — a path
  13. row — to paddle
  14. bat — the animal
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. row — a line
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. track — to keep track
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a friend
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. track — a song
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — to visit

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