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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. firm — steady
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. can — to be able to
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. firm — a company
  11. firm — decided
  12. chest — of your body
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. chest — a box
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. sharp — clever
  18. chest — of your body
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. cell — a phone
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. can — a tin
  24. cell — in biology

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