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 · hide · club · chip · nail · tube · rest · wound

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. club — for dancing
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. rest — what's left
  8. chip — to eat
  9. wound — an injury
  10. tube — a container
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. rest — what's left
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. club — a group
  16. club — for golf
  17. rest — a break
  18. wound — an injury
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. chip — for betting
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. tube — the underground

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