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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. plane — a tool
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bear — the animal
  5. club — for golf
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. hand — help
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bound — certain
  10. can — a tin
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. current — happening now
  13. hand — in cards
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. club — for dancing
  17. current — electric
  18. pound — a weight
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bear — the animal
  22. club — a group
  23. current — of water
  24. pound — for dogs

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