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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. content — the amount
  4. mug — to rob
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — of ice
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cap — a hat
  10. can — a tin
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. content — happy
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. stand — to bear
  16. last — to go on
  17. can — to be able to
  18. last — finally
  19. mug — a face
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. last — final
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. mug — a cup

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