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: content · bank · row · staff · pitcher · lie · pop · rush

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pop — music
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. content — happy
  7. staff — employees
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pop — soda
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rush — hurry
  13. row — a line
  14. pop — to visit
  15. staff — a stick
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. lie — to recline
  18. row — to paddle
  19. staff — employees
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. bank — of a river

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