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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. cap — a lid
  3. scale — size or range
  4. stand — to bear
  5. ball — a dance
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. cap — of ice
  9. squash — the sport
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. bear — the animal
  13. scale — in music
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bear — the animal
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. squash — to crush
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. lie — to recline
  22. cap — a hat
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. lie — an untruth

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