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: charge · can · sharp · shower · jam · cell · ball · bear

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. cell — in biology
  3. sharp — clever
  4. can — a tin
  5. ball — a dance
  6. shower — to wash
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. charge — a price
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. ball — a great time
  12. shower — rain
  13. charge — electricity
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. cell — a phone
  16. bear — the animal
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. charge — in control
  20. can — a tin
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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