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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. row — a line
  4. content — the amount
  5. fine — high quality
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. content — happy
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. track — a path
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. row — to paddle
  14. fine — all right
  15. sharp — clever
  16. track — a song
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. track — to keep track

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