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 · rash · vault · branch · temple · land · foot · pop

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. foot — a measure
  5. land — a country
  6. pop — soda
  7. branch — a division
  8. rash — a series
  9. pop — to visit
  10. land — ground
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. vault — a safe
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. pop — music
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. land — to come down
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. foot — part of the body

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