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 120 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: stick · hide · wax · content · perch · rock · spring · cue

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. content — the amount
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. spring — the season
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. cue — for pool
  10. wax — to grow
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rock — music
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. spring — of water
  17. rock — a stone
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cue — a hint
  20. content — happy
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. spring — a coil
  23. perch — the fish
  24. wax — for sculpting

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