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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. mug — to rob
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — there
  8. present — the time now
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. fork — in a road
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. wind — moving air
  14. row — a line
  15. mug — a face
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. can — a tin
  18. wind — moving air
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. mug — a cup
  21. row — to paddle
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. calf — a young animal

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