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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cell — a phone
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. content — happy
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. foot — a measure
  12. chip — to eat
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. chip — for betting
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. mate — a friend
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. cell — in biology
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. band — a ring
  23. band — a music group
  24. foot — the bottom

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