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: mate · calf · content · can · spell · hand · jam · fan

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. spell — letters
  5. mate — to breed
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. hand — help
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. can — a tin
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — magic
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. content — the amount
  15. can — to be able to
  16. hand — in cards
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. content — happy
  20. mate — a partner
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. mate — a friend
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. calf — a young animal

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