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: face · leaves · march · pound · foot · can · last · cap

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. march — the month
  3. foot — a measure
  4. can — a tin
  5. march — the month
  6. cap — a lid
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. face — part of the head
  9. pound — a weight
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. last — finally
  12. face — to confront
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. face — to point toward
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. cap — a hat
  20. can — to be able to
  21. march — music
  22. cap — of ice
  23. last — to go on
  24. last — final

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