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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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. rock — to move gently
  4. shower — to wash
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bass — low music
  8. can — a tin
  9. press — to push
  10. capital — money
  11. land — a country
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bass — the fish
  14. land — ground
  15. press — a publisher
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. land — to come down
  18. shower — rain
  19. capital — a city
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. rock — a stone
  23. craft — boats
  24. rock — music

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