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: content · wind · pound · tear · stick · cabinet · rock · wave

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wind — moving air
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. wind — moving air
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. tear — to rip
  9. rock — music
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — a weight
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. tear — from crying
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. content — happy
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. rock — a stone
  24. tear — from crying

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