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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. pop — to visit
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. pop — music
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. cap — a hat
  9. track — to keep track
  10. fork — in a road
  11. pop — soda
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. track — a song
  14. cap — of ice
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. track — a path

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