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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. can — to be able to
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. staff — employees
  5. mark — a trace
  6. cap — a lid
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. court — of law
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. staff — employees
  12. kid — child
  13. cap — of ice
  14. can — a tin
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. can — a tin
  18. cap — a hat
  19. staff — a stick
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. court — of a king
  23. court — for sport
  24. kid — to tease

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