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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. chest — of your body
  3. craft — boats
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. chest — a box
  7. suit — in cards
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. face — part of the head
  10. can — a tin
  11. chest — of your body
  12. suit — to fit
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — to point toward
  15. vault — a safe
  16. suit — clothes
  17. can — to be able to
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. content — happy
  22. content — the amount
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. craft — a skill

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