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 124 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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. spring — of water
  4. present — a gift
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. tear — from crying
  9. present — the time now
  10. can — to be able to
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. spring — the season
  14. tear — to rip
  15. can — a tin
  16. tear — from crying
  17. present — there
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. can — a tin
  20. net — in sport
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. net — after costs
  23. spring — a coil
  24. safe — out of danger

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