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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. ground — crushed
  3. cap — a hat
  4. bear — the animal
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. scale — in music
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. board — to get on
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. ground — the earth
  11. ground — a position
  12. cap — of ice
  13. scale — size or range
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. cap — a lid
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. board — a committee
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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