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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. stem — to come from
  3. content — happy
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. ball — a dance
  8. tube — a container
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. dip — to sink
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. foot — a measure
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. content — the amount
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. tube — the underground
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a great time
  24. foot — part of the body

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