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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. content — the amount
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. mark — a trace
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bank — for money
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — a hole
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. mark — a grade
  16. dip — to sink
  17. bank — of a river
  18. craft — boats
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bank — for money
  22. content — happy
  23. mine — for digging
  24. craft — a handicraft

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