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

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. cap — a lid
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. pass — a permit
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. game — wild animals
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. game — a match
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — of ice

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