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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. content — the amount
  3. ground — the earth
  4. saw — the tool
  5. fall — to drop
  6. can — to be able to
  7. squash — to crush
  8. ground — crushed
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. object — to protest
  11. saw — the tool
  12. fall — the season
  13. squash — the sport
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. fall — to drop
  18. ground — a position
  19. object — a thing
  20. sharp — clever
  21. can — a tin
  22. content — happy
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. can — a tin

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