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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. content — happy
  4. face — to confront
  5. face — to point toward
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. face — part of the head
  8. rash — hasty
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. rash — a series
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. foot — a measure
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. snap — to click
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. pitcher — a jug

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