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: wave · row · land · leaves · stock · bound · lash · object

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. object — a thing
  3. land — to come down
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. stock — goods
  6. land — a country
  7. bound — certain
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. object — to protest
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. bound — obliged
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. object — an aim
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. row — a line
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. row — to paddle
  22. bound — tied together
  23. stock — shares
  24. land — ground

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