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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mate — a partner
  3. drill — the tool
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. club — for golf
  6. drill — a practice
  7. press — to push
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. drill — army training
  10. mate — to breed
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. can — to be able to
  15. club — for dancing
  16. mate — a friend
  17. club — a group
  18. can — a tin
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. scale — in music
  21. press — a publisher
  22. press — newspapers
  23. scale — size or range
  24. pitcher — a jug

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