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: wave · land · present · ruler · sharp · content · nail · stand

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. present — a gift
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. sharp — clever
  6. content — the amount
  7. land — ground
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. land — a country
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. present — there
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. stand — to bear
  16. present — the time now
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. content — happy
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. land — to come down
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. nail — for a hammer

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