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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — a tool
  5. dip — to sink
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — decided
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. chest — a box
  15. chest — of your body
  16. content — the amount
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. chest — of your body
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. firm — a company
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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