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: chip · wake · foot · content · rush · clip · bulb · wind

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. rush — hurry
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. content — happy
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. chip — for betting
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. clip — for paper
  20. chip — to eat
  21. foot — a measure
  22. clip — to cut
  23. clip — a video
  24. content — the amount

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