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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. roll — a list
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. content — the amount
  7. court — for sport
  8. drill — army training
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. drill — the tool
  12. content — happy
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. mark — a grade
  15. drill — a practice
  16. present — there
  17. court — of a king
  18. roll — a cake
  19. court — of law
  20. present — a gift
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mark — a trace
  24. present — the time now

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