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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. rest — what's left
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bound — certain
  7. track — a song
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. content — happy
  10. content — the amount
  11. track — a path
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. track — to keep track
  14. rest — a break
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. bound — obliged
  20. wax — to grow
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bound — tied together

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