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: mark · pitcher · wake · dip · wave · sharp · season · rush

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. season — of the year
  3. rush — hurry
  4. sharp — clever
  5. mark — a trace
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. dip — to sink
  15. season — in sport
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. mark — a grade
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. pitcher — a jug

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