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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — in cards
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. can — a tin
  5. cap — a hat
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. march — the month
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. object — a thing
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. cap — of ice
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. cap — a lid
  14. can — to be able to
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. can — a tin
  17. suit — to fit
  18. object — an aim
  19. shower — rain
  20. march — the month
  21. march — music
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. object — to protest
  24. shower — to wash

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