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: row · wake · kick · fan · wave · mug · toast · saw

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. row — to paddle
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. row — a line
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. mug — a face
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. kick — in football
  15. wake — a trail
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. saw — the tool
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. saw — the tool
  23. toast — bread
  24. mug — a cup

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