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: chip · stock · club · wax · bass · spell · content · mate

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. club — for dancing
  3. mate — a friend
  4. spell — a short time
  5. mate — a partner
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — to eat
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. content — the amount
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. bass — the fish
  14. stock — goods
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — letters
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bass — low music
  19. chip — for betting
  20. wax — to grow
  21. club — for golf
  22. stock — shares
  23. content — happy
  24. club — a group

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