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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. kick — in football
  3. cap — a hat
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. toast — bread
  6. pound — a weight
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. cap — of ice
  10. bear — the animal
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. season — of the year
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. charge — in control
  16. season — in sport
  17. tube — the underground
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. cap — a lid
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. charge — a price
  24. bear — the animal

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