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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. wake — a trail
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mate — a partner
  7. cap — a lid
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — music
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — a container
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. cap — a hat
  15. mate — to breed
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. mate — a friend
  18. fall — to drop
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. fall — to drop
  21. stock — shares
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. fall — the season
  24. stock — goods

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