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: mark · ball · rock · dip · content · spell · pound · wave

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. spell — a short time
  3. mark — a grade
  4. spell — letters
  5. pound — a weight
  6. content — the amount
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. mark — a trace
  9. content — happy
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. rock — a stone
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. rock — music
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. ball — a great time
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. spell — magic
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. ball — a dance
  24. dip — to sink

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