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: suit · content · shower · pop · roll · staff · mate · bear

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pop — music
  5. suit — clothes
  6. content — the amount
  7. pop — soda
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. mate — a partner
  10. roll — a list
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. content — happy
  14. shower — rain
  15. roll — a cake
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. suit — to fit
  18. shower — to wash
  19. pop — to visit
  20. staff — employees
  21. suit — in cards
  22. mate — to breed
  23. mate — a friend
  24. staff — employees

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