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 got himself in a ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. game — wild animals
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. sharp — clever
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. date — the fruit
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. can — a tin
  17. spell — a short time
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. spell — letters
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. spell — magic
  23. game — a match
  24. hide — to keep secret

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