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 116 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: straw · fan · content · ball · rock · branch · cabinet · sharp

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. sharp — clever
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rock — a stone
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. ball — a dance
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. rock — music
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ball — a great time
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. content — happy
  24. branch — a division

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