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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. content — happy
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bank — of a river
  7. cell — in biology
  8. saw — the tool
  9. current — happening now
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. scale — in music
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. content — the amount
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. pass — a permit
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. current — electric
  18. scale — size or range
  19. bank — for money
  20. current — of water
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bank — for money
  23. cell — a phone
  24. pass — to spend time

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