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: wound · dip · mouse · can · court · firm · bear · content

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. court — of a king
  3. can — a tin
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bear — the animal
  6. can — a tin
  7. content — happy
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. bear — the animal
  10. court — of law
  11. firm — steady
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. firm — decided
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. wound — an injury
  16. dip — to sink
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. firm — a company
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. content — the amount
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. court — for sport

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