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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. content — the amount
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. content — happy
  6. season — of the year
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. season — in sport
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bound — certain
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. fork — in a road
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bound — obliged
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bound — tied together
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. sharp — clever
  24. season — to add flavour

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