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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. content — happy
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. bank — for money
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. can — a tin
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. stem — to come from
  10. shower — to wash
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. bank — of a river
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. court — of a king
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. shower — rain
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. content — the amount
  21. court — for sport
  22. court — of law
  23. bank — for money
  24. can — a tin

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