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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. can — a tin
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. land — to come down
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. saw — the tool
  8. land — a country
  9. can — to be able to
  10. prune — to trim
  11. land — ground
  12. bulb — for light
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. can — a tin
  15. cap — a hat
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. cap — of ice
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bulb — for light
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. cap — a lid
  24. fork — in a road

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