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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. pop — to visit
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. ball — a great time
  6. content — the amount
  7. pop — music
  8. content — happy
  9. mate — to breed
  10. chip — to eat
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. mate — a friend
  15. chip — for betting
  16. pop — soda
  17. bore — to tire
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bore — to drill
  20. clip — for paper
  21. mate — a partner
  22. clip — a video
  23. clip — to cut
  24. ball — a dance

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