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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. spring — of water
  4. mug — to rob
  5. staff — a stick
  6. mug — a face
  7. spring — a coil
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. mug — a cup
  10. spring — the season
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. content — happy
  14. staff — employees
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. content — the amount
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. object — to protest
  20. staff — employees
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. object — a thing
  23. wake — a trail
  24. nail — for a hammer

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