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 116 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. spell — a short time
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. bass — the fish
  5. spell — magic
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. bass — low music
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — government
  11. lean — to bend
  12. content — happy
  13. can — a tin
  14. rule — a law
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lean — thin
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. spell — letters
  21. can — a tin
  22. content — the amount
  23. lie — to recline
  24. bass — the instrument

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