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: wind · last · tube · dip · wave · lie · roll · content

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. content — the amount
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. lie — to recline
  10. dip — to sink
  11. roll — a list
  12. last — to go on
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wind — moving air
  15. tube — a container
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. last — final
  19. last — finally
  20. wind — moving air
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. content — happy
  24. roll — a cake

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