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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. deal — to handle
  3. staff — a stick
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. staff — employees
  6. content — happy
  7. staff — employees
  8. chest — of your body
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. content — the amount
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mug — a face
  14. chest — of your body
  15. mug — to rob
  16. net — after costs
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. chest — a box
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. net — for catching
  22. snap — to click
  23. net — in sport
  24. deal — a big deal

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