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 116 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: firm · staff · object · cap · race · can · mine · net

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. net — for catching
  3. net — after costs
  4. object — a thing
  5. object — an aim
  6. net — in sport
  7. staff — employees
  8. mine — for digging
  9. cap — a lid
  10. object — to protest
  11. staff — employees
  12. firm — decided
  13. staff — a stick
  14. race — humankind
  15. cap — of ice
  16. firm — a company
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. race — a contest
  19. firm — steady
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. cap — a hat
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. race — the arms race

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