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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. net — in sport
  3. date — the fruit
  4. net — after costs
  5. net — for catching
  6. race — a contest
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. staff — employees
  9. can — a tin
  10. staff — a stick
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. race — humankind
  13. staff — employees
  14. can — to be able to
  15. tear — from crying
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. race — the arms race
  19. tear — to rip
  20. tear — from crying
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. date — on the calendar

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