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: race · kick · trunk · deal · wave · saw · spell · swing

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. spell — magic
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — a contest
  9. saw — the tool
  10. spell — letters
  11. saw — the tool
  12. swing — in golf
  13. race — humankind
  14. kick — in football
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. spell — a short time
  17. swing — to play on
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. swing — music
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — to handle

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