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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. ball — a great time
  3. current — electric
  4. current — of water
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. root — the cause
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. content — the amount
  10. root — of a word
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. file — a tool
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. ball — a dance
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. can — a tin
  19. current — happening now
  20. root — of a plant
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. file — a line of people
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. file — a document

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