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: scale · wave · board · spell · bay · pop · lean · fall

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. lean — thin
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — to drop
  6. spell — a short time
  7. lean — to bend
  8. pop — music
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. board — to get on
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. scale — in music
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. scale — size or range
  16. spell — letters
  17. fall — the season
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. board — a committee
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pop — soda
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. spell — magic

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