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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — employees
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. content — the amount
  8. rush — hurry
  9. wax — to grow
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — obliged
  13. plane — a tool
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. content — happy
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wake — a trail
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. staff — a stick
  24. bay — a horse colour

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