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 120 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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. fine — high quality
  3. court — for sport
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. can — a tin
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. scale — size or range
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. scale — in music
  14. press — to push
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. press — newspapers
  17. court — of a king
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — all right
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. content — the amount
  23. court — of law
  24. press — a publisher

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