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: root · can · march · content · straw · pound · tube · firm

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. can — a tin
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. root — of a plant
  6. firm — decided
  7. march — music
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. root — the cause
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. firm — steady
  13. content — happy
  14. pound — a weight
  15. march — the month
  16. tube — a container
  17. can — to be able to
  18. tube — the underground
  19. content — the amount
  20. root — of a word
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. march — the month
  24. can — a tin

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