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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. craft — a skill
  4. content — the amount
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. content — happy
  7. staff — employees
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. bore — to tire
  10. chest — of your body
  11. bore — to drill
  12. face — to confront
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. staff — a stick
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. staff — employees
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. face — to point toward
  20. chest — a box
  21. chest — of your body
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. face — part of the head
  24. craft — boats

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