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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. suit — clothes
  3. saw — the tool
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. saw — the tool
  7. cap — of ice
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. cap — a hat
  12. pound — a weight
  13. court — for sport
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. suit — in cards
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. mark — a grade
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mark — a trace
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. court — of law
  22. court — of a king
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — size or range

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