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. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. game — a match
  3. cap — of ice
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. cap — a lid
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — the fish
  11. squash — the sport
  12. bulb — for light
  13. deal — to handle
  14. game — wild animals
  15. bulb — for light
  16. can — a tin
  17. land — a country
  18. squash — to crush
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. cap — a hat
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. land — to come down
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. land — ground

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