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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. face — to point toward
  5. squash — to crush
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. rock — music
  10. charge — electricity
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. squash — the sport
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. face — part of the head
  15. wound — an injury
  16. rock — a stone
  17. charge — in control
  18. content — happy
  19. wound — an injury
  20. charge — a price
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. face — to confront

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