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: bear · safe · tube · can · rest · racket · clip · key

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. key — for a lock
  3. tube — a container
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. clip — a video
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. clip — to cut
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. rest — what's left
  11. clip — for paper
  12. rest — a break
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rest — what's left
  16. key — the most important part
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. key — in music

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