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: bay · straw · can · cabinet · nail · last · ground · ball

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. ground — crushed
  3. ball — a dance
  4. last — final
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. ground — a position
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. last — finally
  9. can — to be able to
  10. ground — the earth
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. last — to go on
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. can — a tin
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. can — a tin
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cabinet — ministers

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