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 116 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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. kid — to tease
  5. board — to get on
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. spell — a short time
  8. pound — a weight
  9. spell — magic
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. spell — letters
  14. board — a committee
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. cap — a lid
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — in football
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cap — a hat
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. kid — child

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