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

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. can — to be able to
  3. ground — the earth
  4. can — a tin
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. can — a tin
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. spell — letters
  11. prune — to trim
  12. race — humankind
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. foot — a measure
  17. ground — a position
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. spell — magic
  21. prune — to trim
  22. race — a contest
  23. race — the arms race
  24. spell — a short time

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