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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. can — a tin
  3. lean — thin
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. can — to be able to
  6. land — to come down
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. can — a tin
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. land — ground
  17. squash — to crush
  18. lean — to bend
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. land — a country
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. fork — in a road
  23. squash — the sport
  24. nail — for a hammer

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