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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. can — a tin
  3. face — to confront
  4. content — the amount
  5. pop — music
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cap — of ice
  9. content — happy
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. face — part of the head
  13. face — to point toward
  14. court — of law
  15. court — of a king
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. court — for sport
  18. cap — a lid
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pop — soda
  23. cap — a hat
  24. pop — to visit

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