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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bank — for money
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bound — tied together
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — of ice
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bound — certain
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. can — a tin
  13. game — wild animals
  14. bank — of a river
  15. can — a tin
  16. race — a contest
  17. race — humankind
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bank — for money
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. cap — a hat
  22. race — the arms race
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. game — a match

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