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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. cell — in biology
  3. content — happy
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. file — a line of people
  8. cell — a phone
  9. bass — the fish
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. file — a tool
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. content — the amount
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. file — a document
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bass — low music
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — to trim

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