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 120 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: present · cell · can · cap · bound · wax · bay · pop

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. cell — a phone
  3. pop — soda
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — the time now
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — to grow
  9. pop — music
  10. bound — obliged
  11. present — there
  12. cap — of ice
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bound — tied together
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bound — certain
  20. pop — to visit
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. cap — a lid
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. cell — in biology

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