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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bound — certain
  3. net — in sport
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. rock — music
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rock — a stone
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. net — after costs
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bound — obliged
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bound — tied together
  18. net — for catching

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