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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — a permit
  4. present — a gift
  5. content — the amount
  6. can — a tin
  7. present — the time now
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. race — humankind
  10. can — a tin
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. present — there
  13. race — the arms race
  14. bat — the animal
  15. bore — to drill
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. content — happy
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. race — a contest
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to tire
  24. fan — to cool the air

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