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 120 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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bass — low music
  4. cap — a hat
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. root — of a word
  7. chip — to eat
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. stand — to bear
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. root — of a plant
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. root — the cause
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — of ice

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