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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. net — after costs
  4. net — in sport
  5. wound — an injury
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. scale — in music
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. net — for catching
  14. can — a tin
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. wound — an injury
  18. can — to be able to
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. scale — size or range

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