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 116 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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. pop — to visit
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. current — of water
  6. pop — soda
  7. bound — certain
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bound — tied together
  10. tear — from crying
  11. tear — from crying
  12. bound — obliged
  13. content — the amount
  14. fine — all right
  15. tear — to rip
  16. current — happening now
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. current — electric
  19. fine — high quality
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. content — happy
  23. pop — music
  24. rush — hurry

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