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: tube · chest · wake · wave · drill · mug · content · root

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. tube — a container
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. root — the cause
  5. drill — army training
  6. drill — the tool
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. root — of a plant
  10. tube — the underground
  11. mug — a face
  12. mug — to rob
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. mug — a cup
  15. content — the amount
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. drill — a practice
  18. content — happy
  19. chest — of your body
  20. wake — a trail
  21. root — of a word
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. chest — a box
  24. chest — of your body

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