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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. wind — moving air
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. season — of the year
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bat — the animal
  8. can — a tin
  9. mate — a partner
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. field — for sport
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. can — a tin
  16. mate — to breed
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. season — in sport
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. field — farmland
  21. mate — a friend
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. field — a subject
  24. cabinet — ministers

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