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: spell · trunk · bore · bound · wave · perch · pit · press

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. perch — the fish
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bound — certain
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bore — to drill
  11. press — newspapers
  12. bore — to tire
  13. spell — letters
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bound — tied together
  16. pit — a hole
  17. spell — magic
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — in a race
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. press — to push
  23. spell — a short time
  24. press — a publisher

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