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 · stand · hide · bowl · rock · land · foot · bulb

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — music
  3. land — ground
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. rock — a stone
  7. content — happy
  8. land — to come down
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. foot — a measure
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. land — a country
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stand — to bear
  19. content — the amount
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bowl — a dish

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