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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. charge — a price
  6. bulb — for light
  7. content — the amount
  8. track — to keep track
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. craft — boats
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. craft — a skill
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. track — a path
  16. content — happy
  17. squash — to crush
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bulb — for light
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — electricity
  23. track — a song
  24. chair — a leader

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