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: foot · temple · charge · content · bass · wave · cabinet · scale

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bass — the fish
  3. foot — a measure
  4. content — happy
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. scale — in music
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. scale — size or range
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. charge — electricity
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. content — the amount
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. charge — in control
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bass — low music
  24. temple — a place of worship

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