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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. saw — the tool
  3. can — to be able to
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. key — for a lock
  6. can — a tin
  7. firm — a company
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. key — in music
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. firm — decided
  14. court — for sport
  15. ball — a dance
  16. court — of law
  17. key — the most important part
  18. tube — the underground
  19. firm — steady
  20. tube — a container
  21. court — of a king
  22. can — a tin
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. tube — in a tire

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