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 116 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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bank — for money
  8. race — a contest
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. charge — a price
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. content — the amount
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bank — for money
  18. wax — to grow
  19. race — humankind
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. charge — in control
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. charge — electricity

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