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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. pop — to visit
  4. object — an aim
  5. pop — music
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. foot — a measure
  8. pop — soda
  9. wax — to grow
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bound — certain
  12. saw — the tool
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. object — to protest
  15. bound — tied together
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. can — to be able to
  18. object — a thing
  19. can — a tin
  20. bound — obliged
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. saw — the tool
  24. trunk — of a car

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