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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. content — happy
  3. content — the amount
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. march — music
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. clip — for paper
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. clip — to cut
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. firm — decided
  15. march — the month
  16. firm — steady
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. chest — of your body
  19. firm — a company
  20. cue — a hint
  21. chest — of your body
  22. clip — a video
  23. chest — a box
  24. lash — to lash out

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