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 116 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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. land — ground
  3. object — a thing
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. can — to be able to
  6. spring — of water
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. object — to protest
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. dip — to sink
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. spring — the season
  15. spring — a coil
  16. object — an aim
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. land — a country
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. can — a tin
  23. pound — a weight
  24. land — to come down

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