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: object · temple · wave · rush · bear · drill · stand · hide

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. object — to protest
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rush — hurry
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. object — a thing
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. drill — the tool
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. object — an aim
  19. drill — a practice
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. drill — army training
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — the animal

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