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: wave · key · bank · lash · tube · rock · content · saw

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. content — the amount
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bank — for money
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. tube — the underground
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bank — of a river
  14. key — the most important part
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — a container
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. rock — a stone
  20. bank — for money
  21. key — in music
  22. content — happy
  23. rock — music
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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