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: content · field · clip · can · ball · rest · jam · cell

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. clip — a video
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. field — for sport
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. cell — a phone
  7. content — happy
  8. field — a subject
  9. cell — in biology
  10. can — a tin
  11. field — farmland
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. can — a tin
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a great time
  21. clip — to cut
  22. can — to be able to
  23. rest — what's left
  24. clip — for paper

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