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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  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. chest — of your body
  2. content — the amount
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. net — after costs
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — music
  8. chest — a box
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. content — happy
  12. net — in sport
  13. pop — soda
  14. net — for catching
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. craft — a skill
  21. chest — of your body
  22. craft — boats
  23. content — videos and posts
  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