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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. land — a country
  6. land — to come down
  7. charge — a price
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. charge — in control
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. degree — temperature
  13. content — the amount
  14. bat — the animal
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. land — ground
  17. can — to be able to
  18. lie — to recline
  19. degree — from a university
  20. key — the most important part
  21. charge — electricity
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. degree — an amount
  24. content — happy

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