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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. cap — a lid
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. race — the arms race
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. race — humankind
  7. object — an aim
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. drill — army training
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. drill — a practice
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. key — in music
  14. cap — of ice
  15. squash — to crush
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. key — the most important part
  18. object — a thing
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. squash — the sport
  21. object — to protest
  22. race — a contest
  23. drill — the tool
  24. key — for a lock

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