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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. rule — government
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. cap — a lid
  5. file — a tool
  6. content — happy
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. can — a tin
  9. file — a line of people
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. rule — a law
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. cap — a hat
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. file — a document
  21. dip — to sink
  22. cap — of ice
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. safe — out of danger

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