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 120 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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pound — a weight
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. can — to be able to
  5. current — happening now
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. can — a tin
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. bore — to tire
  12. field — a subject
  13. mug — to rob
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. field — farmland
  16. bore — to drill
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — a face
  19. current — electric
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. current — of water
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. vault — a safe
  24. field — for sport

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