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 120 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: racket · kick · squash · chip · fine · wave · wake · degree

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. chip — to eat
  4. degree — temperature
  5. chip — for betting
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. degree — from a university
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. degree — an amount
  11. fine — high quality
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. kick — in football
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — to crush
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. fine — all right
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — a trail
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. racket — for tennis

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