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: season · fall · foot · wave · prune · row · wind · rock

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. fall — the season
  3. rock — a stone
  4. prune — to trim
  5. wind — moving air
  6. row — a line
  7. prune — to trim
  8. row — to paddle
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. fall — to drop
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. rock — music
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. foot — a measure
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. season — in sport
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. fall — to drop
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. season — of the year
  24. wind — moving air

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