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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. clip — to cut
  3. bulb — for light
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. current — electric
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. clip — for paper
  9. bulb — for light
  10. content — the amount
  11. bass — the fish
  12. content — happy
  13. current — happening now
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. clip — a video
  18. bass — low music
  19. current — of water
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. can — a tin
  22. bat — the animal
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bat — for baseball

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