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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. current — happening now
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. cell — a phone
  6. current — electric
  7. content — happy
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. can — a tin
  10. craft — a skill
  11. can — a tin
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. can — to be able to
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitch — completely
  16. craft — boats
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. current — of water
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. content — the amount
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. cell — in a prison

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