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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. can — a tin
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. wound — an injury
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. wound — an injury
  9. key — for a lock
  10. season — in sport
  11. season — of the year
  12. can — a tin
  13. cap — a lid
  14. key — the most important part
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. shower — to wash
  17. mark — a trace
  18. shower — rain
  19. cap — of ice
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. key — in music
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. can — to be able to
  24. cap — a hat

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