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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. lean — thin
  3. rush — hurry
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. mate — to breed
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. track — a song
  8. track — to keep track
  9. content — the amount
  10. suit — in cards
  11. track — a path
  12. suit — to fit
  13. mate — a friend
  14. content — happy
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. lean — to bend
  17. last — to go on
  18. last — final
  19. suit — clothes
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. last — finally
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mate — a partner
  24. rush — to hurry

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