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 124 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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — crushed
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. cap — a lid
  5. cap — of ice
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. ground — a position
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. mark — a grade
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. last — final
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. last — finally
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. mark — a trace
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. cap — a hat
  19. fine — high quality
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. fine — all right
  22. snap — to click
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. last — to go on

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