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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bass — the fish
  3. shower — to wash
  4. current — happening now
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. content — the amount
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. shower — rain
  10. content — happy
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. bass — low music
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — a tin
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. can — to be able to
  19. current — electric
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — to grow
  22. current — of water
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. rest — what's left

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