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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. staff — employees
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. charge — a price
  7. band — a ring
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. dip — to sink
  10. squash — the sport
  11. can — a tin
  12. staff — employees
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — to grow
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. staff — a stick
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. band — a music group
  21. plane — a tool
  22. squash — to crush
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — electricity

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