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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. spell — magic
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. key — in music
  6. spell — letters
  7. spell — a short time
  8. craft — a skill
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — clothes
  11. content — the amount
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — for a lock
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. craft — boats
  16. can — to be able to
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. can — a tin
  19. content — happy
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. can — a tin
  22. prune — to trim
  23. suit — in cards
  24. prune — to trim

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