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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. race — humankind
  4. cue — for pool
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. shower — rain
  10. shower — to wash
  11. race — a contest
  12. pitch — completely
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. cue — a signal
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. deal — to handle
  20. race — the arms race
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. content — happy
  23. cue — a hint
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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