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: object · spring · fan · stick · bay · racket · hide · can

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. spring — the season
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. can — a tin
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. can — a tin
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. spring — a coil
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. object — an aim
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. spring — of water
  23. object — to protest
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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