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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. plane — a tool
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. can — a tin
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. can — to be able to
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. press — a publisher
  12. press — to push
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — size or range
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. press — newspapers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. plane — an aircraft

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