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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. cap — a lid
  3. saw — the tool
  4. kick — in football
  5. pop — soda
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. saw — the tool
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. roll — a cake
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. rash — hasty
  13. pass — a permit
  14. cap — a hat
  15. rash — a series
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. wound — an injury
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pop — music
  21. cap — of ice
  22. wound — an injury
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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