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 · safe · chair · rock · charge · wave · hide · suit

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. content — the amount
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. charge — electricity
  6. chair — a leader
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. rock — music
  9. suit — clothes
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. rock — a stone
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. suit — to fit
  15. charge — in control
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. charge — a price
  18. suit — in cards
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. content — happy
  24. rock — to move gently

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