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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. can — a tin
  3. capital — money
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. cap — a lid
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. band — a music group
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. file — a document
  11. band — a ring
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. can — a tin
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. file — a line of people
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. capital — a city
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. can — to be able to
  23. cap — a hat
  24. file — a tool

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