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 120 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. can — a tin
  4. march — the month
  5. march — music
  6. mine — for digging
  7. content — happy
  8. bore — to tire
  9. mug — a face
  10. can — a tin
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. mug — to rob
  15. content — the amount
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mug — a cup
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bore — to drill
  23. can — to be able to
  24. march — the month

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