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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. lie — to recline
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. capital — money
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. mug — a face
  11. pass — a permit
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bat — the animal
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. cap — a hat
  21. capital — a city
  22. cap — of ice
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. bat — for baseball

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