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: bat · firm · squash · land · can · board · spell · cap

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. cap — a hat
  3. land — to come down
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. spell — a short time
  6. land — ground
  7. bat — the animal
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. spell — magic
  10. board — to get on
  11. can — a tin
  12. firm — steady
  13. board — a committee
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. firm — a company
  16. cap — a lid
  17. squash — the sport
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. land — a country
  20. spell — letters
  21. cap — of ice
  22. squash — to crush
  23. can — to be able to
  24. firm — decided

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