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 120 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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. content — happy
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. content — the amount
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wind — moving air
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. stand — to bear
  12. kid — child
  13. kid — to tease
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. tube — a container
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. dip — to sink
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. tube — the underground
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. prune — the fruit

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