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: cabinet · wake · fine · bowl · fan · lie · can · pass

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. can — a tin
  3. fine — all right
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. can — a tin
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. pass — a permit
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. can — to be able to
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. lie — to recline
  24. pass — to succeed

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