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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. dip — to sink
  4. cap — a lid
  5. chip — to eat
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. roll — a list
  9. roll — a cake
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a hat
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. chip — for betting
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. chip — in a computer

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