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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. tube — a container
  3. season — of the year
  4. mug — a cup
  5. content — the amount
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. spell — letters
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. spell — a short time
  10. content — happy
  11. mug — to rob
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — in sport
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. mug — a face
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. spell — magic
  24. fork — in a road

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