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 · nail · press · wave · tear · dip · saw · bulb

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. press — to push
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to sink
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. scale — in music
  11. press — newspapers
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. scale — size or range
  19. press — a publisher
  20. tear — from crying
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. tear — from crying
  24. tear — to rip

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