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: can · game · foot · present · plane · cell · wind · kick

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. kick — in football
  3. plane — a tool
  4. wind — moving air
  5. can — a tin
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. present — a gift
  8. can — to be able to
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. cell — in biology
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. foot — a measure
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. present — there
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. cell — a phone
  17. game — a match
  18. wind — moving air
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. present — the time now
  23. game — wild animals
  24. plane — an aircraft

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