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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. rest — what's left
  6. craft — boats
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. mine — for digging
  12. can — a tin
  13. craft — a skill
  14. can — a tin
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. prune — to trim
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. rest — what's left
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. rest — a break
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. squash — the 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