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: march · rush · tear · wave · safe · last · swing · dip

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. march — music
  6. swing — to play on
  7. march — the month
  8. last — final
  9. tear — to rip
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. rush — hurry
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. tear — from crying
  15. last — to go on
  16. march — the month
  17. tear — from crying
  18. swing — in golf
  19. swing — music
  20. dip — to sink
  21. last — finally
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. safe — out of danger

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