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 116 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: can · pop · pitcher · object · row · mug · face · firm

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pop — to visit
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. can — a tin
  5. pop — music
  6. firm — steady
  7. face — to confront
  8. mug — a cup
  9. object — a thing
  10. mug — to rob
  11. face — to point toward
  12. can — to be able to
  13. object — an aim
  14. row — a line
  15. pop — soda
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. row — to paddle
  18. can — a tin
  19. firm — decided
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mug — a face
  22. object — to protest
  23. firm — a company
  24. face — part of the head

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