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 116 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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. pop — to visit
  3. net — for catching
  4. rest — what's left
  5. staff — employees
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — after costs
  8. content — the amount
  9. cap — a hat
  10. pop — music
  11. can — a tin
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — of ice
  14. staff — employees
  15. rest — what's left
  16. current — electric
  17. staff — a stick
  18. can — a tin
  19. current — of water
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. content — happy
  22. pop — soda
  23. current — happening now
  24. rest — a break

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