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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. bear — the animal
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. content — happy
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. perch — the fish
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. bear — the animal
  18. hide — to keep secret

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