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: hand · can · wave · rule · wound · vault · racket · pass

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. can — a tin
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. hand — help
  7. rule — a law
  8. can — a tin
  9. pass — a permit
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — a safe
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. can — to be able to
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. hand — in cards
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. rule — government
  24. wound — an injury

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