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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. can — a tin
  3. content — the amount
  4. mark — a trace
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. capital — a city
  8. can — to be able to
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. content — happy
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. squash — the sport
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — for a lock
  17. capital — money
  18. can — a tin
  19. pass — a permit
  20. squash — to crush
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. sharp — clever
  24. mark — a grade

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