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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. drill — the tool
  4. rule — government
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. stock — shares
  7. drill — army training
  8. tube — a container
  9. mate — to breed
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. cap — of ice
  12. tube — the underground
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. mate — a friend
  15. drill — a practice
  16. stock — goods
  17. club — for golf
  18. cap — a lid
  19. mate — a partner
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. rule — a law
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — a group

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