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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. net — for catching
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. object — to protest
  6. pitch — completely
  7. net — after costs
  8. row — to paddle
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. object — a thing
  14. wake — a trail
  15. mate — to breed
  16. net — in sport
  17. row — a line
  18. object — an aim
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. mate — a partner
  21. content — happy
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. mate — a friend

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