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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. tear — from crying
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. tear — to rip
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. chip — to eat
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bore — to tire
  13. capital — a city
  14. pass — a permit
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bore — to drill
  17. chip — for betting
  18. capital — money
  19. rest — a break
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. can — a tin
  24. tear — from crying

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