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: present · wave · cell · roll · mouse · tube · net · bay

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. cell — in biology
  3. cell — a phone
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. present — there
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. tube — a container
  9. net — for catching
  10. roll — a list
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. net — in sport
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. tube — the underground
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. present — the time now
  18. roll — a cake
  19. present — a gift
  20. net — after costs
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. mouse — for a computer

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