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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bass — low music
  3. bore — to drill
  4. court — of law
  5. stand — to bear
  6. can — to be able to
  7. stock — goods
  8. can — a tin
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. court — of a king
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. court — for sport
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — the underground
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. stock — shares
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bore — to tire
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. tube — a container
  24. bass — the instrument

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