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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. current — of water
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. content — happy
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. current — electric
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. wax — to grow
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. toast — bread
  19. cell — a phone
  20. cell — in biology
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. content — the amount
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. current — happening 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