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

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. can — a tin
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. can — a tin
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — completely
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. content — happy
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bark — to shout
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. can — to be able to
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. plane — a tool
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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