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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. court — for sport
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. content — happy
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. lean — to bend
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. march — the month
  12. march — the month
  13. court — of law
  14. march — music
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. court — of a king
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. lean — thin
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. mine — for digging
  24. bank — for money

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