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 · leaves · pound · snap · bear · stand · coach · kick

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. kick — in football
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. snap — to click
  16. bear — the animal
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. bear — the animal
  22. stand — to bear
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. pound — a weight

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