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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. content — the amount
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. prune — to trim
  6. chip — for betting
  7. content — happy
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. stock — goods
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. chip — to eat
  15. sharp — clever
  16. prune — to trim
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. stock — shares
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mark — a grade

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