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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: foot · bear · pass · hide · can · fan · game · cabinet

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. can — to be able to
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. foot — a measure
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pass — a permit
  12. game — wild animals
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. game — a match
  23. bear — the animal
  24. foot — part of the body

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