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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. pit — a hole
  6. cue — for pool
  7. pit — in a race
  8. kick — in football
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. can — to be able to
  11. band — a ring
  12. cold — not warm
  13. can — a tin
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. cold — an illness
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. band — a music group
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. cue — a signal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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