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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  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. content — the amount
  2. bank — for money
  3. season — of the year
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. suit — in cards
  6. hand — in cards
  7. current — electric
  8. bank — for money
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. suit — clothes
  11. board — to get on
  12. bank — of a river
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. hand — help
  16. season — in sport
  17. suit — to fit
  18. current — happening now
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. current — of water
  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