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 116 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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. content — the amount
  4. saw — the tool
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. object — an aim
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. object — a thing
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. content — happy
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. object — to protest

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