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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. content — the amount
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. pass — a permit
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. scale — size or range
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. face — to point toward
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — a break
  13. charge — a price
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. charge — electricity
  16. rest — what's left
  17. scale — in music
  18. face — to confront
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. content — happy
  21. face — part of the head
  22. dip — to sink
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. charge — in control

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