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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. cell — a phone
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. content — the amount
  5. cell — in biology
  6. fine — all right
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. content — happy
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. squash — the sport
  13. squash — to crush
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — the underground
  19. suit — clothes
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. suit — in cards
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. fine — high quality

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