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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. rest — what's left
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. swing — to play on
  7. net — after costs
  8. rest — what's left
  9. can — a tin
  10. swing — in golf
  11. net — for catching
  12. rest — a break
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bore — to tire
  15. net — in sport
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bore — to drill
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — to get on
  22. swing — music
  23. bark — to shout
  24. board — a committee

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