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 116 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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. track — to keep track
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. scale — size or range
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. face — part of the head
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. face — to confront
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. content — the amount
  13. rock — a stone
  14. track — a path
  15. scale — in music
  16. rock — music
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. face — to point toward
  23. deal — to handle
  24. track — a song

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