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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. track — a path
  4. track — a song
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. court — of law
  7. fork — in a road
  8. court — of a king
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. can — to be able to
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. court — for sport
  13. kid — child
  14. dip — to sink
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. track — to keep track
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. kid — to tease
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. board — a committee

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