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 120 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: track · wind · cap · tube · pitch · mine · hide · wave

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a path
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. mine — for digging
  7. tube — the underground
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. cap — a lid
  10. track — a song
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. wind — moving air
  14. tube — a container
  15. wind — moving air
  16. cap — of ice
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. cap — a hat
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. pitch — completely

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