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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. chip — for betting
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. bore — to tire
  7. content — the amount
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. content — happy
  13. wake — a trail
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. lean — thin
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bore — to drill
  20. stock — goods
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. stock — shares
  24. fan — a supporter

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