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: fall · bat · lie · rock · wave · cabinet · bowl · rest

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. rest — a break
  3. fall — to drop
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rock — music
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bat — the animal
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. fall — the season
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. fall — to drop
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bat — in an idiom

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