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 120 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. ball — a great time
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. club — for dancing
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. ball — a dance
  10. club — for golf
  11. season — of the year
  12. plane — a tool
  13. content — the amount
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. club — a group
  17. season — in sport
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. tube — the underground
  22. content — happy
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. tube — a container

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