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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. root — of a plant
  3. suit — clothes
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. suit — to fit
  6. kid — child
  7. track — to keep track
  8. root — the cause
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. mug — a face
  11. track — a path
  12. mug — a cup
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. kid — to tease
  15. hand — in cards
  16. can — to be able to
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. mug — to rob
  19. deal — to handle
  20. track — a song
  21. can — a tin
  22. suit — in cards
  23. root — of a word
  24. hand — help

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