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: arm · cabinet · cap · kid · calf · club · can · march

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. club — a group
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. club — for dancing
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. kid — to tease
  10. club — for golf
  11. cap — a hat
  12. can — to be able to
  13. march — music
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. can — a tin
  17. kid — child
  18. march — the month
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. march — the month
  21. cap — a lid
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cabinet — ministers

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