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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. chip — to eat
  3. march — the month
  4. present — a gift
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. content — the amount
  12. march — music
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. present — there
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bulb — for light
  17. chip — for betting
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bound — certain
  22. present — the time now
  23. march — the month
  24. content — happy

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