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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. toast — bread
  8. kid — child
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. content — the amount
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. wake — a trail
  19. kid — to tease
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bass — low music
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. content — happy

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