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: can · content · suit · key · pop · coach · spring · stick

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. content — the amount
  3. key — for a lock
  4. suit — to fit
  5. spring — a coil
  6. content — happy
  7. pop — to visit
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. spring — the season
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pop — music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — in music
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. can — a tin
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. pop — soda
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. suit — clothes
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. spring — of water

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