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: racket · pound · object · club · sharp · wave · rush · fan

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. object — an aim
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — a group
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. object — a thing
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. pound — a weight
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. object — to protest
  20. sharp — clever
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. club — for dancing
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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