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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. season — in sport
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. pit — a hole
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pit — in a race
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. bulb — for light
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. hand — help
  13. game — a match
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cap — a hat
  18. game — wild animals
  19. cap — a lid
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bulb — for light
  24. season — of the year

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