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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. charge — in control
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. charge — a price
  5. cap — of ice
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. cap — a lid
  11. rule — a law
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rule — government
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. spring — a coil
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. wax — to grow
  18. charge — electricity
  19. season — in sport
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. spring — the season
  23. season — of the year
  24. spring — of water

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