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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wax · suit · last · rush · current · dip · content · bark

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. content — the amount
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to sink
  7. content — happy
  8. suit — in cards
  9. wax — to grow
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rush — hurry
  15. current — electric
  16. bark — to shout
  17. last — final
  18. current — of water
  19. last — finally
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. current — happening now
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. last — to go on
  24. wax — for sculpting

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