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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. firm — a company
  3. cap — a hat
  4. object — to protest
  5. can — a tin
  6. saw — the tool
  7. cap — a lid
  8. pop — to visit
  9. hand — help
  10. firm — decided
  11. hand — in cards
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pop — music
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. object — an aim
  16. cap — of ice
  17. pop — soda
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. object — a thing
  20. firm — steady
  21. can — a tin
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. hand — part of the body

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