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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. clip — to cut
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. hand — in cards
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. clip — a video
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. can — to be able to
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. content — the amount
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. clip — for paper
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. content — happy
  20. hand — help
  21. can — a tin
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. can — a tin
  24. wave — of the sea

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