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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. land — ground
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. cap — a lid
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rock — a stone
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. land — to come down
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. cap — of ice
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. sharp — clever
  19. rock — music
  20. land — a country
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mouse — the animal

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