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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. bore — to drill
  3. scale — size or range
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. net — after costs
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. scale — in music
  9. roll — a cake
  10. saw — the tool
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. net — in sport
  14. roll — a list
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. content — happy
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. saw — the tool
  19. net — for catching
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bore — to tire

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