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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bass — the fish
  3. rush — hurry
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. content — the amount
  6. bass — low music
  7. land — to come down
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. land — ground
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. content — happy
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. mark — a grade
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. squash — to crush
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. land — a country
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. squash — the sport

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