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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. net — in sport
  3. deal — to handle
  4. can — a tin
  5. shower — to wash
  6. bear — the animal
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. land — to come down
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. can — a tin
  13. net — for catching
  14. land — ground
  15. shower — rain
  16. can — to be able to
  17. suit — clothes
  18. land — a country
  19. suit — in cards
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bear — the animal
  23. net — after costs
  24. bear — to put up with

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