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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. can — a tin
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. mate — a friend
  5. key — for a lock
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. key — the most important part
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. cap — a hat
  11. present — there
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. present — a gift
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. mate — to breed
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. can — a tin
  18. key — in music
  19. can — to be able to
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. cap — of ice
  22. mate — a partner
  23. cap — a lid
  24. present — the time now

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