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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. fine — all right
  4. cap — a hat
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mine — for digging
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. present — there
  12. cap — of ice
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. can — a tin
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — a gift
  21. fine — high quality
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. cap — a lid
  24. can — a tin

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