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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. file — a document
  4. band — a ring
  5. pass — a permit
  6. spell — magic
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. file — a tool
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. spell — letters
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. cap — a lid
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rash — a series
  17. file — a line of people
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. cap — of ice
  20. band — a music group
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. spell — a short time

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