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 116 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. season — of the year
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. mark — a trace
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. plane — a tool
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. saw — the tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. rush — hurry
  11. tear — from crying
  12. content — happy
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. saw — the tool
  15. current — electric
  16. current — of water
  17. tear — to rip
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. season — in sport
  21. tear — from crying
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. current — happening now
  24. content — the amount

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