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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. current — happening now
  4. net — after costs
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bound — certain
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. net — for catching
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bound — tied together
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. deal — to handle
  17. current — of water
  18. net — in sport
  19. content — the amount
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bound — obliged
  23. current — electric
  24. dip — to sink

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