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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. can — a tin
  4. mug — to rob
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pound — a weight
  11. court — of law
  12. squash — to crush
  13. court — for sport
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. can — to be able to
  16. court — of a king
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. can — a tin
  19. squash — the sport
  20. wound — an injury
  21. mug — a face
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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