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 120 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. scale — size or range
  3. ground — a position
  4. swing — music
  5. content — happy
  6. wax — to grow
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. ground — the earth
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. board — a committee
  14. content — the amount
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. ground — crushed
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. scale — in music
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. swing — to play on
  24. swing — in golf

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