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 · plane · land · hide · track · sharp · stick · can

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. land — to come down
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. can — a tin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. land — a country
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. track — a song
  9. can — to be able to
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. can — a tin
  13. track — a path
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. land — ground
  16. content — happy
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. plane — a tool
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. track — to keep track
  22. content — the amount
  23. sharp — clever
  24. plane — in geometry

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