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 116 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: lash · content · suit · stick · wave · key · wound · face

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. key — for a lock
  3. content — happy
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. wound — an injury
  6. key — the most important part
  7. face — to confront
  8. key — in music
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. suit — to fit
  11. face — to point toward
  12. suit — clothes
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. content — the amount
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. face — part of the head
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. suit — in cards

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