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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mark — a grade
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. content — happy
  6. season — in sport
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. wake — a trail
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. content — the amount
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. plane — a tool
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. bear — the animal
  20. season — of the year
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — the fruit

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