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: content · wax · can · court · temple · cap · wound · trunk

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. content — the amount
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. can — to be able to
  7. cap — of ice
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. wound — an injury
  10. court — of a king
  11. wound — an injury
  12. court — for sport
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. can — a tin
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. wax — to grow
  17. content — happy
  18. cap — a hat
  19. court — of law
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. content — videos and posts
  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