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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. last — finally
  3. net — after costs
  4. lean — thin
  5. suit — clothes
  6. net — in sport
  7. lean — to bend
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. last — to go on
  10. net — for catching
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. suit — to fit
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. can — a tin
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. suit — in cards
  24. last — final

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