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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. can — a tin
  4. bear — the animal
  5. field — farmland
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. degree — temperature
  8. bore — to tire
  9. can — to be able to
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. wind — moving air
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. wind — moving air
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bore — to drill
  17. craft — boats
  18. degree — from a university
  19. field — for sport
  20. field — a subject
  21. craft — a skill
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. degree — an amount
  24. wind — to turn a key

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