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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. roll — a list
  5. board — a committee
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. suit — clothes
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. roll — a cake
  12. kid — to tease
  13. bulb — for light
  14. board — to get on
  15. content — happy
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. kick — in football
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bulb — for light
  22. kid — child
  23. suit — to fit
  24. board — a flat piece

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