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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. last — final
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — steady
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. firm — a company
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. content — happy
  13. last — to go on
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. content — the amount
  18. object — an aim
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. last — finally
  22. lean — thin
  23. object — to protest
  24. pitcher — a jug

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