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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — in cards
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wax — to grow
  5. content — happy
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. cell — in biology
  8. wind — moving air
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. firm — decided
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. firm — a company
  18. content — the amount
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. cell — a phone
  23. firm — steady
  24. cell — in a prison

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