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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. file — a tool
  4. bass — the fish
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. cap — of ice
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. fine — high quality
  12. prune — to trim
  13. can — a tin
  14. file — a line of people
  15. can — a tin
  16. cap — a hat
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. can — to be able to
  19. file — a document
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. prune — to trim
  22. fine — all right
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. cap — a lid

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