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: pound · fine · field · can · key · content · rest · cap

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. field — a subject
  3. cap — of ice
  4. can — a tin
  5. rest — what's left
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. key — the most important part
  8. fine — all right
  9. key — in music
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. content — the amount
  12. pound — a weight
  13. rest — what's left
  14. can — a tin
  15. key — for a lock
  16. rest — a break
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. content — happy
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. can — to be able to
  21. cap — a lid
  22. field — farmland
  23. field — for sport
  24. cap — a hat

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