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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. scale — in music
  5. cue — a hint
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. squash — to crush
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. tube — the underground
  11. stock — goods
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cue — a signal
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. tear — from crying
  17. cue — for pool
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. squash — the sport
  20. tube — a container
  21. tear — from crying
  22. stock — shares
  23. tear — to rip
  24. calf — a young animal

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