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: toast · key · present · club · can · cabinet · degree · content

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. can — a tin
  3. club — for golf
  4. club — for dancing
  5. toast — bread
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. degree — an amount
  8. key — the most important part
  9. present — a gift
  10. can — a tin
  11. present — the time now
  12. key — in music
  13. content — happy
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. present — there
  17. degree — temperature
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. can — to be able to
  20. content — the amount
  21. degree — from a university
  22. club — a group
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. key — for a lock

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