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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. content — the amount
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. date — the fruit
  6. chest — of your body
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. saw — the tool
  9. content — happy
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. chest — a box
  13. field — farmland
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. chest — of your body
  16. fine — all right
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. fine — high quality
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. field — a subject
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. field — for sport

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