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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. can — to be able to
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. degree — an amount
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. land — to come down
  12. degree — temperature
  13. vault — a safe
  14. row — a line
  15. degree — from a university
  16. land — a country
  17. land — ground
  18. dip — to sink
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. pound — a weight
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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