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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. chip — to eat
  5. sharp — clever
  6. last — finally
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. dip — to sink
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. cap — a hat
  15. chip — for betting
  16. last — to go on
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. pitch — completely
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. cap — of ice
  22. last — final
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. dip — a sauce

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