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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. content — the amount
  5. wound — an injury
  6. toast — bread
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. rest — what's left
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. kid — child
  14. content — happy
  15. rest — a break
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. wound — an injury
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. foot — a measure
  22. rest — what's left
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. kid — to tease

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