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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. plane — a tool
  3. pop — to visit
  4. content — the amount
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. stock — shares
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. date — the fruit
  12. vault — a safe
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. ball — a dance
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stock — goods
  17. pop — soda
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. content — happy
  22. ball — a great time
  23. pop — music
  24. date — on the calendar

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