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: board · wound · content · dip · net · bowl · rock · sharp

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. net — in sport
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. wound — an injury
  7. content — the amount
  8. dip — to sink
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. rock — music
  11. sharp — clever
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. board — to get on
  14. rock — a stone
  15. net — for catching
  16. content — happy
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. board — a committee
  21. wound — an injury
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. net — after costs

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