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: field · nail · ball · net · content · mine · pass · can

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. can — a tin
  4. pass — a permit
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. ball — a dance
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. field — for sport
  10. field — a subject
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — after costs
  13. ball — a great time
  14. content — the amount
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. mine — for digging
  19. can — a tin
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. net — in sport
  22. field — farmland
  23. content — happy
  24. can — to be able to

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