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 120 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: suit · field · cap · chip · trunk · bowl · stick · can

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a lid
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. suit — in cards
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. suit — to fit
  9. field — for sport
  10. can — a tin
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. chip — to eat
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. can — a tin
  17. field — farmland
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. suit — clothes
  21. cap — a hat
  22. field — a subject
  23. can — to be able to
  24. chip — for betting

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