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 116 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: wake · straw · ball · suit · cabinet · chip · bass · can

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. can — a tin
  3. suit — to fit
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a great time
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. chip — for betting
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — to eat
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. bass — the fish
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — a trail
  17. ball — a dance
  18. suit — in cards
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. can — to be able to
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bass — low music
  23. can — a tin
  24. straw — a straw man

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