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: ball · root · wave · fine · hand · content · arm · toast

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. hand — in cards
  8. root — of a plant
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. ball — a great time
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. fine — all right
  15. root — of a word
  16. content — the amount
  17. toast — bread
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. root — the cause
  20. content — happy
  21. ball — a dance
  22. fine — high quality
  23. hand — help
  24. toast — the most admired

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